Love and Rivalry
by lippizzaner01
Summary: After losing to the King of Games in Battle City, Seto Kaiba is ready to move on and begin taking Kaiba Corp to the next level. However, he didn't plan on a green-eyed internship student coming in to distract him. When she turns him down he might have to seek out the help of his rival in order to win her over.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Seto Kaiba walked into the school classroom and sat down at his usual desk in the far back left corner. He found teachers usually left him to his own devices when he was sequestered away. They rarely called on him for an answer anyway, being the CEO of Kaiba Corp. definitely had its perks.

 _Once I obtain the sorry excuse of a diploma from this school, I can finally stop wasting my time here and focus on furthering my company_ , he thought bitterly.

Laughter from across the room caught his attention as he noticed Yugi Motto and his friends sit down in their seats. Kaiba couldn't stop a sneer from escaping his lips. _Yugi may have defeated me once again in the Battle City tournament, but I have bigger fish to fry then to worry about defeating the 'King of Games'._

Kaiba returned his attention to a book he had pulled out. The teachers here had hardly anything new to teach him. His step-father, Gozaboru, had given him the toughest and strictest tutors. But with him now gone, Kaiba needed to complete at least some education, even if it was only for the piece of paper. He can't give any of his peers in the corporate world any reason to look down on him. Most of them carried business degrees from prestigious colleges when Seto didn't even carry his high school diploma. It was bad enough that he didn't plan on attending college, he simply didn't have the time or patience.

After an abysmal hour of history, the bell finally rang to signal the end of the day. Kaiba quickly got up to escape out of the room as fast he could. In his haste, he didn't see a fellow student a few chairs ahead of him also get up and ended up running right into the back of them.

Or _her_ he should say.

"Why don't you watch where you're going!" Kaiba snarled. He couldn't rush past as she was now blocking the aisle, with some of her books scattered on the floor.

She turned around to look at him, her eyes flashing as she met his gaze.

"Figures, you run into me and then blame me for it. Sorry if I don't bow out of the way for the great Seto Kaiba!".

Kaiba was momentarily stunned, he wasn't used to people talking to him this way. Employees who had worked for him for years still couldn't look him in the eye when they spoke to him. Kaiba appraised the girl who had the nerve to speak so blatantly to him by letting his eyes trail her up and down.

Raven black hair that hung just below her shoulders. It wasn't straight but not quite curly either. It fell in thick waves all around her face which had pronounced cheek bones and a straight but dainty nose. For a girl she was tall, the top of her head looked like it just reached under his chin.

Her blouse was buttoned all the way up and the skirt sat just at her knee. Most girls tried to show as much skin as possible with the school uniform to appear more attractive, but with her, she didn't have to. Any man would agree that she was gorgeous _._

When he met back up at her eyes, he saw that they were a brilliant green. And they were glaring at him.

Kaiba glared back. "Hmph, well maybe you should take a page out of somebody else's book and learn to step out of my way, less you see my bad said."

"You mean this isn't your bad side?" she retorted. "It's no wonder then that people run the other direction when they see you approaching."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Unfortunately, the same can't be said of you. Now move out of my way, you've wasted enough of my time."

As he shoved past her to get to the door, he heard her yell at his retreating back "Send me a bill for using up your, oh-so-precious time. Not that you need it!"

Kaiba ignored her and kept walking. _I must've turned down her advances at some point. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned_ he mused to himself. He quickly squashed any more thoughts of her and continued towards his awaiting limo. She wasn't worth the energy.

 **000**

Aria huffed as she watched Kaiba leave the classroom. _What an arrogant jerk! It's no wonder he doesn't have any friends._

"You okay there Aria? Looks like you had a bit of a run-in with Kaiba."

Aria turned around to see Yugi standing with an amused look on his face as well as her fallen textbooks. "Yeah I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle." She said with a wink.

Yugi did a deep chuckle. "Of that I have no doubt."

Aria gave Yugi a lopsided grin. Yugi has been a close friend of hers for the past couple of years now and was always a good listener when she needed someone to confide in. Which has been a lot recently due to her chaotic home life.

She already knew all about his "other" side. She started to notice it more and more while watching Yugi duel. She couldn't understand how a guy usually soft spoken and timid could be so brave and confident during a duel. She was very skeptical at first when he confided in her the secret about his Millennium Puzzle, but it became easier to believe after all the weird stuff that happened during the Battle City tournament.

Now it was just a normal thing. Actually, she would have to say she has become closer with Pharoah, if that's possible since they are basically the same person, sort of…she tried not to thing about it too much.

"Hey Yug!" Joey Wheeler called out. "We're all headin' out for pizza, you comin'?"

Yugi nodded. "Sure! You want to join us Aria?"

"Thanks, but I have somewhere I need to be." Aria answered. "I have to meet up with the guidance counsellor to see about that internship I applied for."

"Oh yes, the science one, right? Something with high-tech computers?"

Aria rolled her eyes. "In laymen's terms, yes. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm hoping it will help me get into a very competitive computer science program. I'll let you know how it turns out."

"Sounds good, I'll see you around Aria."

"Bye, Yugi!" Aria called over her shoulder as she headed out of the classroom and towards the admin offices.

Aria stopped at a door that read "Guidance Counsellor, Mrs. Tanaka". She knocked quickly twice and waited until she was told to enter.

Mrs. Tanaka sat in a simple office with her desk crammed into a corner. She wore a simple beige blouse with matching skirt. Frameless square glasses sat perched on the edge of her nose while she typed into her computer.

"Ah, Miss Ito, right on time." Mrs. Tanaka said, as she swiveled around in her desk chair to face her. "You'll be happy to know that you have been granted the internship! Though I had little doubt that you wouldn't have gotten it".

Aria beamed while she sat down in the only available empty chair. "Really? I'm just happy to have gotten an internship at all! Which company will I be working with?"

"Well that's the best part! A very prestigious company has accepted to take on your internship. This should give a great boost to your scholarship application as well as helping you get into your desired program."

Aria almost couldn't contain her excitement. Obtaining the scholarship that's going to get her into that computer science program is going to change so much for her. The biggest being she can finally get out of her stepfather's house and start living her own life.

"That's awesome Mrs. Tanaka!"

"I thought you'd be happy" Mrs. Tanaka said with a smile. "They want you to start right away next week instead of waiting for school to be out in the summer. Kaiba Corp expects you to be there first thing after school on Monday."

It was like someone had popped the balloon of elation that had been inflating inside of Aria's heart. Her smile fell and was replaced immediately with disbelief.

"Kaiba Corp? You can't be serious!" Aria exclaimed.

Mrs. Tanaka gave her a confused look. "I thought you would've been ecstatic to hear that it was Kaiba Corp. You must know that they are the leading company in computer software within Domino City. Not to mention that they rarely take on high school internship students."

Aria crossed her arms in a huff. "It's not the company I have a problem with, just its CEO."

"Oh, that's right, you probably share some classes with Mr. Kaiba. I'm sure it won't be a problem Miss Ito. I doubt you'll have much contact with him during your internship. I'm sure he'll have more important matters at hand then worry about one high school student." Mrs. Tanaka said with a wave of her hand.

"I guess you're right." Aria sighed. Aria had rarely interacted with Kaiba in school, but it didn't take much to see what an arrogant, self-conceited man he was. You could tell even the teachers were afraid of him. And all because he was some billionaire playboy. But what really rubbed Aria the wrong way concerning the haughty CEO, was how he acted so above everyone else, that people were just ants beneath his feet to be stepped on to help him obtain his own goals. Just like her stepfather.

But she can't let one man stop her from achieving her dreams. And Mrs. Tanaka is right. Having an internship at Kaiba Corp. will do wonders for her applications.

 _I can do this_ , Aria chanted to herself. _It won't be any different than at school. I just work for him now…and on his technology…and he has the power to fire me. Great._

"I appreciate all that you've done for me Mrs. Tanaka. And I look forward to starting my internship on Monday."

"Great! I've got some paperwork here for you to sign and as well as directions of where to go." Mrs. Tanaka explained, handing her a thin manila folder.

Aria accepted the folder and rose to leave. "Thanks again Mrs. Tanaka. I'll let you know how it goes."

"No problem my dear. I'm sure you'll greatly enjoy your time there."

 _Why do I find that hard to believe?_ Aria thought to herself as she left the office and started to head for home.

 **My first fanfic! I hope you guys enjoy it! Just a heads up, I already have the first few chapters written, so if you like it (or don't like it) but want to see more, let me know! Cheers**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Most of the students had left by the time Aria exited the school, the sun sitting late in the afternoon sky. She only had her thoughts to occupy herself as she started to walk home.

Aria nibbled at her lower lip as she contemplated the fact that she would be working on real computer software. She knew she had near perfect grades, but was it enough? What if she failed? Or makes a fool of herself?

 _It doesn't help that my boss is a tyrant and a control freak_ thought Aria bitterly.

After about 15 min Aria was walking through her neighbourhood where the houses were a modest size with big front lawns. Too soon she had reached her house and was walking up the red brick cobbled walkway. A two-car garage stood apart from the yellow-stoned house on the right, rose bushes getting ready to bloom sat underneath the bay window. Her mother loved those rose bushes and Aria tried her best to make sure they were well kept. This house seemed to be the only thing that Aria had left of her. However, without out her mother's soft touch and loving aura, her stepfather's jaggedness had become more prominent, making it now just a house and no longer a home.

Aria was not looking forward to telling her stepfather about where her new internship would be taking place. Riku Ito was not a man of understanding. He liked to keep Aria under his thumb which offered very little flexibility on how she ran her life. Very much like how he ran his corporation, Fenrir Inc.

Fenrir Inc. specialized in making computer software for other electronic companies. The corporation was modestly successful. Her stepfather however had been struggling for years trying to break into the larger market but lacked a competitive edge to rise above his counterparts.

Aria stopped at the front door, staring at the brass knocker. She took in a deep breath, reminding herself that her father did not control her and that she was capable of making her own decisions. Her mother may have been gentle, but she taught Aria to stand up for what she believed in, even if that meant going against her stepfather's wishes.

She opened the door and treaded into the foyer. The room opened up to a 10-foot ceiling. The white tiled floor was spotless, a few contemporary furniture pieces sat at the fringe of the room. The door to her stepfather's study was slightly ajar on her left. She prayed he hadn't heard her enter.

"Aria" a deep voice called.

So much for not hearing her.

She knew it was better to go in now and get the confrontation over with. This will be child's play compared to when Aria will have to tell him that she's leaving for college in the fall. As well as his house.

Aria turned and walked towards the door. Crossing over the threshold she entered into a dark mahogany room, with paneled walls and green carpet. A huge oak desk sat at the far end of the room. Two black arm chairs rested in front. The room smelled of cigars and cognac, making Aria cringe as the air permeated her nostrils. She stopped a few feet behind the arm chairs, standing with one arm across her front grasping her other arm.

Riku Ito lounged behind the desk, a glass of brandy rolling lazily in his left hand. His protruding stomach could be seen poking up over the top of the desk. His thin graying hair was combed over to try and hide the fact that he was balding, accompanied by a thin mustache.

"You're late" he stated simply.

Aria waited. She knew he wasn't looking for answers, he just liked to make her squirm first.

"If you're going to live in my house then you need to obey the rules." continued Riku. "You didn't have my permission to go elsewhere after school, now tell me where you went or else I may have to impose stricter curfews."

Aria had to hold back a snort. Her curfew was pointless, most of the time her stepfather wasn't even home to enforce it. She didn't think he actually cared where she spent her time, he just liked to exert his authority over her from time to time. A steady reminder that she lived in his house and thus had to obey his rules. "I actually didn't leave the school, I had a meeting with my guidance counsellor after class."

Her stepfather quirked a brow. "And what was the purpose of this meeting?"

Aria hated to have to tell her stepfather anything about her life, but for now she'll submit to his authority for it won't be long till she is gone from his life forever. "It was to inform me that I had obtained an internship working for a company on their computer software."

This time, both eyebrows shot up. "Why would you waste your time working for another company when your talents would be put to much better use at Fenrir? Fenrir taught you all that you know about computer software, and you're just going to give that away to some washed-up tech business?" He sneered at her. "Do you have no loyalty?"

Aria bristled at the insults about loyalty thrown at her. It was true that she learned most of what she knows about coding from working at Fenrir, but her stepfather never gave her credit or recognition for her achievements. She tilted her chin up, trying to gain the confidence she felt she didn't have. "It was time to move on and broaden my knowledge. Working for other corporations will teach me new skills that Fenrir can't." She held her breath, waiting for another outburst.

"And what company will have the great honour of acquiring your skills?" he asked sarcastically.

Aria hesitated. If she wasn't honest about which company she'll be working for, her stepfather will probably find out soon enough anyway. And when he did, the consequences could be severe. She took a deep breath and said "Kaiba Corp."

Surprisingly, Riku didn't show any emotion at this revelation. He just sat there, looking at her, mulling over her words. When he finally spoke, it was in a much more even tone. "Well, that at least isn't some mediocre company. I'll allow you to proceed with your internship for now. Don't embarrass me." He motioned his head towards the door to signal that she was dismissed.

Aria blinked, trying to process what just happened. When her brain finally commanded her legs to move, she tried to walk as fast as she could out of the study before her step-father could change his mind. She closed the door behind her and started heading up the stairs towards her room.

 _Why did his opinion suddenly change when he found out the company was Kaiba Corp?_ Aria thought to herself. An unknown shiver crept up her spine, with the feeling that something was off. Her stepfather never just gave in to her wishes. _He's up to something, but for now I think I'll just enjoy the fact that I'm able to move forward without worrying about my stepfather breathing down my neck._ How she wished things were only that simple.

She opened the door to her room and walked over to her canopied bed and flopped down on the soft mattress. She pulled out her phone to check her messages and saw that there was one from Yugi.

 _Pizza got postponed to tonight. You in?_

Aria thought about if her stepfather would be around. Usually he left for his club on Friday nights, doing who knows what. If not, she could always sneak out her window and climb down the trellis.

She texted back _Definitely_.

 **000**

Seto Kaiba sat in his office at Kaiba Corp, typing furiously on his computer. He always had much to catch up on when he got off school. Memos, authorizations, papers that needed his signature, all the things that pile up over the day when he's not around to deal with them. And when all that is dealt with, he can finally concentrate on the important matters of the company, the high-tech duel monster's technology that made his heart quicken in excitement.

The duel disk was the latest invention that sent Kaiba Corp soaring, but Seto Kaiba was looking to take it one step further.

Kaiba was so engrossed in his work that he almost didn't hear someone enter his office. Almost.

"Hey big brother" a short, bushy hair kid called.

Kaiba gave a short grunt and continued working. Mokuba went and sat on one of the plush couches that was placed on the right side of the room.

Kaiba's little brother Mokuba was the most important person in Kaiba's life. They've been through everything together, from being dumped at an orphanage after their parents died, to having to live under the tutelage of their stepfather, Gozaburo Kaiba.

"Seto? Are you listening to me?"

Kaiba looked away from his computer screen and focused on Mokuba who had moved to the front of his desk. "What is it Mokuba? I'm sure you can tell that I'm very busy right now."

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "You've been saying that all week! I've hardly seen you outside of this office! C'mon Seto, its Friday. Can't we go out and get some pizza or something?" he whined.

Kaiba gave Mokuba a long hard look, then finally leaned back in his chair with a defeated sigh. "I know I haven't been around too much Mokuba. With school taking up so much of my time and trying to get Kaiba Corp's new project underway, I've been a little…busy."

A little smile graced Mokuba's face. "I know big brother. But a break every now and then might be good for you."

Kaiba folded his hands and rested his chin on them while he peered over at his little brother. As important as his work was to him, Mokuba was more important. Maybe one evening off would do him some good. "Alright Mokuba, you win this time. Tonight, we'll do whatever you want, just you and me."

Mokuba gave a whoop and a jump. "Awesome! Pizza's on me tonight!" he said with a laugh. He turned around and raced out the door calling behind him "I'll send for the limo to pick us here at 7" and then was gone.

Kaiba smiled and shook his head at his vivacious brother, then turned his attention back to his computer and continued with his work.

 **000**

The limo came right at 7. Mokuba came into Kaiba's office 10 minutes beforehand to make sure that he got off his computer. It was a lot harder than he thought it would be to stop what he was doing and leave. There was just still so much to do! And if he had to admit, it was kind of enjoyable designing new technology that would magnify the world of duel monsters.

Kaiba and Mokuba rode down the elevator together and exited out into the empty lobby save for a few security guards, the majority of the staff had gone home for the night. The black stretch limo was idling right outside the rotating doors. Mokuba climbed in first and Kaiba slid in beside him.

Once their seatbelts were on Mokuba said to the driver "Take us to Bartini's Pizzeria on 74th and 2nd".

"We're actually doing pizza?" Kaiba asked with a raised brow. "I thought you were joking."

"Nope! My friends keep going on about how this place has the best pizza in Domino City and is a must try."

"Then why haven't you gone out with them to try it?"

Mokuba looked sheepish and looked out the window. "Well…to be honest, I wanted to experience it first with you. I felt like we haven't really done anything together lately."

A pang of guilt hit Kaiba. Had he been neglecting Mokuba that much? His little brother acted so much older than his 13 years, it made Kaiba forget that he was still just a kid. A kid with no parents, only an older brother with whom to make new family memories with. Kaiba had no choice but to grow up quickly, someone had to be the protector and provider for their family of two. He realized then that he didn't want his little brother to ever feel that burden. Mokuba deserves a childhood. Kaiba's was stripped from him the moment they were dropped off at that orphanage. He couldn't imagine Mokuba being burdened with a similar fate. He was too good natured, too innocent.

The limo soon pulled up in front of the restaurant. Bartini's Pizzeria was situated on the outskirts of Little Italy in an old stone building. Big windows lined the street with striped canopies overhead.

Kaiba and Mokuba exited the limo and walked up the stone steps through the front door. Inside was a bustle of activity. Round tables with red and white checkered tables cloths were crammed together as much as the small space would allow. And it looked like they were all full.

As they moved to the side to allow a young couple to exit through the doors, a man with a thick bushy mustache came up to greet them.

"Ah! Just in time! A table for two has just opened up!" He said in a jovial Italian accent. "My name is Luigi Bartini and I hope you will enjoy your stay with us. Please, follow me."

He lead them through the maze of tables until they came to one tucked in the back corner. Mokuba sat down first with his back to the restaurant, while Kaiba took the other seat that looked out over the crowd.

Luigi placed some menus in front of them and promised to be back shortly to take their order.

"Wow, this place is packed" Mokuba said turning around in his chair. "Hey look! It's Yugi and his friends! Guess they heard about this place too."

Kaiba snorted. "I'm surprised they can even afford to eat here. Probably have to wash dishes after to pay for their meal."

Mokuba sat back around while rolling his eyes at Seto. "They're really not that bad. Sure, Joey can get a little annoying, but even you have to admit that he has come a long way since Duelist Kingdom."

"Hmph" was all Kaiba said in reply.

Soon Luigi was back to take their order. As Kaiba handed him back his menu he noticed a black hair girl enter the restaurant. Her eyes lit up when she saw Yugi's table and ran over to join them. He realized that it was the same girl that he had ran into earlier that day in class. He continued staring trying to figure out why an obvious beauty would hang out with those dweebs. There was no way one of those nerds could snag her.

"Hey Seto, watcha' looking at?" Mokuba asked, turning around to see what had caught his brother's attention. "Who's that girl sitting beside Yugi? I've never seen her hang out with them before."

"No one" Kaiba answered, looking away and crossing his arms.

"Do you know her? She's cute."

"Believe me, it stops there. Her attitude could use a major adjustment."

"How do you know that?" asked Mokuba.

"We had a little run-in at school today. She wasn't shy to voice her opinion of the 'great Seto Kaiba'."

Mokuba laughed. "Sounds like she's got spunk. Maybe you should ask her out."

Kaiba blinked at him. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yeah, but girls sometimes say the opposite of the signal they are trying to give. Kinda when a guy teases a girl because he likes her."

Kaiba's face deadpanned. "My 13-year-old brother did not just give me dating advice."

"Well you are dreadfully out of practice" Mokuba said with a smirk. "Besides, sounds like she wasn't intimidated by you, which let's face it, is probably pretty hard to find in a girl."

Kaiba stayed silent and looked back over to the other table. Green eyes met his followed by her body visibly stiffening. Kaiba quickly looked away, thinking that she definitely was not sending opposite signals.

Fortunately, their dinner came not long after and Kaiba was able to distract himself with their meal so as not to be tempted to glance at the girl again.

Once Kaiba and Mokuba were done, they paid for their pizza and got up to leave. Kaiba deliberately walked around the edge of the restaurant to avoid having to come into contact with Yugi's group of friends. Then why did it feel like there was a pair of eyes boring into his back as he walked away?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Aria walked into her last class of the day on Monday. History, the only class she shared with Kaiba. She had been dreading this class all weekend. Seeing him at the pizza parlour on Friday night really sent her for a loop. It wasn't his presence that shook her up, it was the fact that he was out on a Friday night, enjoying pizza like any other teenager. It almost made him seem…human. But who was the kid he was with? Does he take an orphan out for dinner once a month for some good publicity?

She gave a quick glance into his corner of the room. A breath of relief shot out when she saw that it was empty. She continued on over to where Yugi was sitting with Joey, Tristan and Tea. "Hey guys, how was your weekend?"

"Not too bad, how was yours Ari?" came Joey's reply.

"Could've been better. Riku was at home all weekend so I didn't get out much."

"He's still holding you on a tight leash eh?" said Tristan.

Aria shrugged. "I was able to do some prep work on some programming to help better prepare me for the start of my internship today."

Tea's eyes widened in remembrance. "I forgot about that! You're going to work for Kaiba Corp right? Can't say I envy you there." She said with a wink.

Joey put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Why would you want to work for that rich boy? If you thought Riku kept you on a tight leash, it will be nothing compared to working for that tyrant."

"Believe me, I wasn't too excited about it either" replied Aria. "But apparently it's a very sought-after opportunity and will look amazing on my applications."

"Hmph, still think you're selling your soul to the devil" said Joey with a sniff.

Aria gave him a pointed look. "It's a big company, I doubt I'll even see the guy."

"Speaking of Kaiba" broke in Tea. "Wasn't it weird to see him out at the pizza parlour on Friday night?"

Aria was glad that she wasn't the only one who noticed. "I know! But who was that kid that was with him?"

Tristan answered. "Oh, that was his little brother Mokuba. Even though he's a Kaiba, he's actually a pretty sweet kid."

This new information sent Aria's mind awhirl. It really shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Kaiba has family, but Aria just can't see that guy getting along well with anyone.

"He'd be a great kid" said Joey "If he didn't worship the ground that Kaiba walked on."

It was then that their teacher walked into the room and asked that everyone should take their seats. Aria walked back to her seat and gave once last look at Kaiba's empty chair. Was there more to Kaiba then he was letting on? Is it all a ruse? Or is he really the cruel and blunt billionaire everyone makes him out to be?

She shook her head as she tried to clear her thoughts of the blue-eyed CEO. Aria had enough things to think about then trying to solve the puzzle that was Seto Kaiba.

History went by painfully slow. It didn't help that Aria constantly looked at the clock, waiting for the bell that would signal the end of class. She had been a bundle of nerves all day, dreading the moment she had to walk into Kaiba Corp.

The bell finally did ring, and Aria was out of her desk and out the door in record time. She didn't even say a quick goodbye to her friends. She only had a certain amount of time in which to catch the city bus that would take her downtown to her new workplace.

Aria reached the bus stop within plenty of time. The bus pulled up five minutes later and she was on her way. The bus ride allowed her to collect her thoughts and slow her breathing. And her erratic pulse. The bus stopped just outside Kaiba Corp's front doors. Aria stepped out and craned her neck to look at the giant skyscraper that stood before her.

A giant steel statue shaped into the letters 'KC' stood in the middle of the forecourt. The building itself was covered in windows and looked like it must've been at least 30 stories tall. People were constantly walking in out of its revolving doors. Aria took a deep breath and headed towards them.

She joined the throng of people going in and when she came out the other side she had to stop to take it all in. She had walked into a giant foyer, the floors shimmered as if they had just been buffered. On either side were seating arrangements made up of pure black leather with ornate coffee tables in the centre. A vase of blue tiger lilies sat on top of each.

There was a desk in the shape of a circle in the middle of the foyer with three secretaries sitting in the middle. Aria looked down at her school uniform and knew she needed to go change before she could present herself. She quickly looked around, trying to find a sign for the washrooms. Sure enough, there was one on along the right side of the room.

She quickly ducked into the women's and let out a soft grunt at the opulence that was stated, even in a foyer bathroom. She chose a stall at the far end and changed out of her uniform and into her clothes that she had packed into her bag.

When she came out, she was wearing a buttoned-up white blouse with short sleeves that tucked into a pair of black slacks. She coiled her hair into a simple chignon at the base of her neck. To top it all off, she reached into her knapsack and pulled out a pair of horn-rimmed glasses.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Aria felt more like a computer programmer then a lowly high school student. Hopefully they'll treat her as such.

She turned around and exited the bathroom, heading towards the front desk. She stops at a woman with a headset on and waits patiently for her to acknowledge Aria standing there. She finally stops talking into her headset and smiles up at Aria. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Hi" Aria begins hesitantly. "I'm the new high school intern reporting in for my first day." Aria nervously rubs her arms, hoping the doesn't look as young as she sounds. She then remembers the envelope Mrs. Tanaka gave her and pulls it out of her bag to hand to the secretary.

The women's face brightened. "Oh yes, we were told to expect you today. I have your employee pass and name tag here." The secretary pulls open a drawer and grabs a lanyard with an i.d. and a key pass attached. She hands them over to Aria. "These will grant you access to the computer programming labs. You will find the elevators directly behind me, take them up to the 10th floor, it will be the first door on your right. Introduce yourself to Hubert Langley, he will be your supervisor."

Aria nods in understanding. "Sounds simple enough, thank you."

"I hope you enjoy your first day" the secretary says with another smile.

 _Me too_ thinks Aria as she walks away and heads towards the elevator. There were five along the back wall. Aria shakes her head as she pushes the button to go up, thinking that Kaiba really doesn't spare on any expense. The door in front of her immediately opens up and she steps inside. She pushes the button for the 10th floor, but after waiting for a minute nothing happens. It was then she notices that there is a scanner which she assumes is for her key pass. Aria scans her card, making the light go green, and this time when she pushes the button, the doors immediately close.

The ride up the elevator was short and too soon Aria was walking out into a brightly lit hallway. She started walking down until she came to a long broad window on the right side that looked into a computer lab.

Three rows of long rectangular tables sat parallel to each other. On each table were four state-of-the-art computers. Programmers were seated behind each one, faces pressed close to the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard. Aria didn't think too much about it and then she had to do a double take. It wasn't just programmers behind the computers, but _men_ _ **.**_ There wasn't a single female in the room.

Well, she wasn't going to let that deter her. Being a woman had no impact on her computer skills whatsoever. She would prove that. She walked over to the door, conflicted as to whether or not to knock first. She opted to go right in since knocking seemed trivial.

Upon entering the room, Aria noticed several big screens positioned at the base of each table as well as a white board at the front of the room. A gray office desk was situated on her left. A man with wispy brown hair that was plastered to his scalp sat with a bunch of paperwork, and a computer screen that was perched on the corner. Aria approached the desk and saw a gold and black name plate with the name 'Hubert Langley' engraved on it. He didn't look at up at her when she stopped just a few feet in front of him.

Aria noticed that he was dressed very similar to the other workers in the room. Short-sleeved white dress shirt with a black tie. She couldn't see his legs under the desk, but she guessed that he was also wearing grey dress pants and black shoes like the rest of the men in the room.

After a few minutes of Mr. Langley still looking down at his paperwork, Aria politely cleared her throat to get his attention. When he finally looked up Aria gave a small smile and introduced herself. "Hi, my name is Aria Ito, I'm your new intern." He didn't smile back.

Mr. Langley gave a sigh that came out more like a huff then abruptly stood and walked over to the far-right rectangular table. Aria followed him until he stopped at an empty computer at the farthest end.

"This is where you will be working" Mr. Langley stated. "I'll assign you some basic projects that should be more suited to your…level. They'll only require simple algorithms. I'm assuming you know C++ coding?" he asked, peering over his glasses at her.

Aria straightened her spine. "Of course, as well as JavaScript and Python" she replied. She actually also knew numerous other coding languages but didn't want to sound too boastful.

"Hmph" was all Mr. Langley said in reply. "I'll transmit over your first assignment. But there is one thing I want to be clear about and that is you are not to disturb the other programmers. Mr. Kaiba has been prepping us for a new development and thus we've been working overtime in order meet his demands. I will not hesitate to send you down to records, inputting old files, if you get in the way. Understood?"

Aria wanted badly to give this man a piece of her mind. But she also knew that she may need him for a reference and she had no doubt he really would send her down to records. So, she swallowed her pride and answered serenely "Perfectly".

Langley gave one curt nod and then turned around and headed back to his desk. Aria sat down and booted up her computer. As she waited for it to turn on she contemplated her new supervisor. He seemed very strict but maybe you had to be in order to work for Kaiba. What was this new development? It sounded big if Kaiba had them working overtime.

Aria let out a soft sigh. Doesn't sound like it will matter. Seems Mr. Langley is determined to keep her out of the way with menial tasks. It was very disappointing as she was looking forward to challenging herself on more advanced technology. Fenrir Inc. just simply didn't work with companies that had high-level hardware.

With the computer finally operating, Aria began by familiarizing herself with the operating system. Soon enough she found the assignment that Mr. Langley had sent over electronically. She started to work away at it, getting lost in the procedures, when she heard the door open and close. A brief flash of purple caught the corner of her eye. She closed her eyes, not wanting to believe the possibility of a certain someone walking through that door.

When she finally opened her eyes and looked over to the front of the room, sure enough, there stood Seto Kaiba.

 **000**

Kaiba rode the elevator down from his top-floor office to the 10th level. The foundation for his new project was coming along well but he soon needed to hand over the reigns to his computer programmers to start writing the software required. And if this project is everything Kaiba expects it to be, he's definitely going to need his full workforce on it. And then some.

He found that by checking in personally every once in awhile allowed him to keep a closer eye on the progress they were making. It also didn't hurt to remind the employees the he was keeping a close eye on their work.

He walked into the computer lab and stood at the front with his arms crossed. Langley immediately jumped up out of his chair and ran over to Kaiba's side, bowing profusely and asking how he could be of service.

Kaiba ignored him. He instead watched as the programmers worked, not one looking his way, either too afraid or too absorbed to acknowledge him. He frowned as one worker swiveled their head towards him, only to quickly turn back to their screen. It was then that Kaiba realized that it was a female. _Funny_ Kaiba thought. _I can't remember the last time Langley hired on a female programmer_.

"Who's the woman?" Kaiba simply asked.

Langley looked over to whom Kaiba was staring at. "Oh, that's Aria Ito. She's just the high school intern. Don't worry Mr. Kaiba, I made sure to put her on the simplest of tasks so that she doesn't get in the way of the higher priority assignments."

 _So, this was the high school student he approved._ Every year Kaiba's school applies on behalf of a student for an internship. He believes they do it because he attends there and therefore think he would be more open to comply. How wrong they are. The applicant has to be extremely talented to land a position here. Kaiba Corp only accepts the best.

Kaiba never looks at the names or personal info. He just wants to know their skills and grades. So, he was very surprised to see that is was a girl who had won the internship.

"Let me know how she progresses and the quality of work she hands in. If her profile is any indication, she may make a nice addition to the team for our next project."

Langley's eyes went wide. "But Mr. Kaiba, she's just a high school student" he sputtered. "A lot of these men are vying for a spot on that team, and for a _girl_ to take one of those spots?"

Kaiba raised a condescending eyebrow and turned his head with a cold stare. "Are you questioning me, Langley?"

Langley swallowed hard and relaxed his posture. "Of course not Mr. Kaiba."

"Good. I expect a full report by the end of this week."

Langley nodded, knowing that he had been dismissed. He turned around and went back to his desk.

Kaiba also turned around to leave but gave one last glance over his shoulder. There was something about that girl that was familiar to him, but he couldn't say what. Shaking his head, he continued out the door.

 **A/N: Okay, so I have to apologize about my total lack of knowledge concerning computer programming. I'll probably just being throwing in words here and there that sound good but making actual programmers cringe. I apologize profusely in advance.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Since I actually have people following this story, I thought I might as well submit the next chapter. I'm almost done chapter 5 so if I get that done I'll post it too. But I'm afraid after that it'll probably be weekly updates so sorry for spoiling you ;) I hope you enjoy guys! Thanks for following! Don't forget to review :)**

 **Chapter 4**

The next few days go by painfully slow for Aria. The hype of starting her new internship was slowly killed as each day just brought the same tedious work. And each day when Aria sits down at her computer, she hopes that Mr. Langley would have sent her a different assignment. One that would actually test her abilities. But so far it has been the same every time. She was losing hope that she would ever work on anything other than gopher tasks.

On the bright side, she hadn't seen Kaiba in the labs again since his sudden appearance on Monday. When she had caught his eye in the lab, she turned back around so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash. She has been fretting ever since if he recognized her as the girl who put him down from class. Well, more like put him in his place. Either way, all it takes is one word from him and she's gone. Along with her future.

Thursday rolled around, and Aria was running extremely late for her last class. She had been researching in the library during her spare period about any big projects Kaiba Corp might be working on. If there was, they were being extremely hush hush about it. If she could only find out what the project Kaiba was sending down to the programmers was, then she might be able to convince Mr. Langley that her skills would be a great asset to the team.

When Aria finally entered her history classroom, she noticed that everyone was sitting in pairs.

"Ah, Miss Ito, how nice of you to grace us with your presence" her history teacher, Mr. Armani drawled. She forgot what a stickler he was for tardy students. "We're working on a group assignment today. Since you're the last one to arrive you can join Mr. Kaiba in the back corner."

Aria's face paled. She opened her mouth to try and get out of partnering with Kaiba but could think of nothing to say. Instead, she nodded numbly, and headed over to where Kaiba usually sat and took the desk on his left. When she had the nerve to look over, he was staring at her. Eyes narrowed, like he was scrutinizing her. So maybe he does remember her from the lab.

When he still hadn't said anything, Aria cleared her throat and asked, "Did Mr. Amari give us a worksheet?"

Kaiba looked at her a second longer and then turned his head away while wordlessly handing over the worksheet.

"Thank you" mumbled Aria. Taking the piece of paper and trying to read the questions while her stomach swirled with butterflies. "How about I take the first half of the questions and you take the second half. Sound fair?" she asked with her eyes still on the page. She was afraid if she looked over again she would find those piercing blue eyes trying to read her, and she'd probably be an open book.

"Are you sure you can work alongside the 'great Seto Kaiba'?" he asks sarcastically.

Aria grimaced. So, it was their first meeting he was remembering. She didn't know which one was worse. "Sorry about that, I was…having a bad day." She risked a glance his way and he was looking at her again.

"Could've fooled me" he said, crossing his arms. "Since this assignment is a waste of my 'precious time', I think you should be good on your own. Unless you want to receive a bill in the mail." He said this with a devilish smirk that reeked of arrogance.

Aria's eyes flashed in anger. She didn't care if this guy was her boss at work, in the classroom he is a student just like her and had no right to speak to her that way! "I'm surprised you haven't just bribed the school already to give you your diploma. Then you wouldn't have to affiliate with us mere mortals" she snapped.

Kaiba's smirked again and gave a small chuckle. "I was wondering where that fiery siren went. Meekness doesn't suit you Miss Ito."

Aria's mouth opened to retort but then closed it. He had purposely tried to bait a response out of her, and she fell right into it.

"What I want to know" he continued "Is why I saw you at my computer lab Monday afternoon". He quirked a quizzical eyebrow at her.

Now Aria truly was speechless. "How did you know it was me?" she asked tentatively.

"I didn't" he answered. "Until Mr. Amari said your name, then it was simply putting the two together".

She didn't know how to respond. Was this the part where he fired her? But he seemed almost…impressed with her ire. Even if it was directed at him. Fortunately, he spoke before she could formulate a response.

"And how are you liking working at Kaiba Corp?"

It as Aria's turn to raise an eyebrow at him. "I feel like that is a very loaded question."

Kaiba snickered. "Afraid to give the CEO a piece of your mind? I have to say, I'm disappointed."

Aria let out a huff at the insinuation. She hated feeling trapped into a corner, but she couldn't back down from a challenge. She turned and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm sure it would be amazing to work for Kaiba Corp. You have the highest standard equipment for programming, and invent some pretty advanced technology, like your duel disc for example. But from my spot in the lab, it is simply…boring."

Kaiba looked at her quizzically. "You surprise me. I didn't think you would have said anything positive about Kaiba Corp."

"There's nothing wrong with Kaiba Corp, I hear it's just the CEO that's a piece of work" she said with a smirk.

Kaiba smirked back. "So what's the problem then? Sounds like it should be your dream job."

She had come this far so she might as well go all the way. "Langley won't give me any challenging assignments. He hasn't even attempted to test my skills. To be honest, I think he has something against female programmers." She held her breath. She just spoke openly down about her supervisor. Kaiba's going to think she has a problem with authority. Well, she does. But only with the arrogant kind.

"Mr. Kaiba, Miss Ito, maybe now would be a good time to actually work on the assignment, class is almost over."

Aria jumped, totally oblivious that Mr. Armani was standing right beside her. "Of course sir" she said, quickly nodding.

Mr. Armani gave them a stern look then walked away.

Kaiba took the worksheet off her desk and started scribbling furiously down on the page. After a few minutes he said "Here" and handed it back to her. He got up from his desk just as the bell rang and was gone from the room.

Aria blinked a few times trying to process what just happened. She looked down at the assignment in her hands and each question was fully answered in an immaculate but oddly masculine handwriting. Seto Kaiba was definitely not as clear-cut as she first made him out to be. Did he even care about her concerns with work? Or was he just scoping her out for the sake of his company?

The shocked look on Mr. Armani's face as Aria handed in their completed worksheet was almost worth having Kaiba as a partner for class. As she gathered up her things, she realized that working alongside Kaiba hadn't really been that bad. And it left her with a smile as she exited the classroom.

 **000**

The next day, Kaiba sat in his office looking over the report Langley had sent him earlier that day. The report outlined Aria's progress over the last few weeks. Basically, Langley said that Aria completed her work adequately but showed no signs of advanced skill. Kaiba snorted at that. If her portfolio was any indication, her skill level was way above par for her age and experience.

He leaned back in his chair, resting his face against his intertwined hands, lost in thought. He can't remember the last time a girl had captivated his thoughts so. Their conversation yesterday hadn't only been entertaining, but surprisingly stimulating as well. No other girl could banter back with him like she can. Yes she was gorgeous. Her thick black hair and soft face were definitely appealing, but it was those green eyes that entranced him. Whenever he got caught in their gaze, he always found it hard to look away.

Kaiba suddenly sat up straight as he realized the turn his mind had taken. Aria Ito was an employee of Kaiba Corp and the only thing he should be interested about her, is her ability to program his software. He gave his mind a mental shake then looked back at Langley's report. It was obvious that Langley hadn't given Aria any chances to actually prove herself. She had said as much yesterday. Kaiba was beginning to think that maybe Langley did have a prejudice against female programmers.

Well he wasn't going to let Aria's talent go to waste. He could use someone whose mind hasn't been molded by rules and limits. He needed someone who could look past all that, and into the impossible.

After typing something quickly on his computer, Kaiba got up from his chair and exited his office. He headed towards the elevators to ride down to the 10th floor. Once he got there, he went straight into the computer lab.

Sure enough, he saw Aria typing away at her computer. Though he noticed that her keystrokes were slow and the way her chin sat in the palm of her hand suggested she was bored.

Kaiba walked over to Langley's desk and stood with his arms crossed. Langley immediately stood up and bowed. "I have a special project that I want to assign to Aria Ito."

Langley blinked, his face locked in disbelief. "Are you sure sir? There are many others who would be more than qualified- "

"No" Kaiba cut him off. "I found your report lacking. I want Miss Ito to be able to prove her abilities, which is an opportunity you seemed to have denied her." Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

Langley nervously fidgeted under his direct gaze.

Kaiba turned away and looked towards Aria station. "Miss Ito" he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Almost all of the workers stopped to look in her direction, curiosity evident in their faces.

Aria swiveled around at her name. Her eyes widened once she realized who had called her. She slowly stood up and walked towards Kaiba.

"Yes…Mr. Kaiba?" She asked, stumbling over her words.

A small smile almost escaped Kaiba's lips. It must've been hard for her to address him so respectfully. "I have a project that I want you to do for me."

Her breath hitched at the pronouncement.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up yet" Kaiba continued. "It is a challenging one, but if you can successfully implement it, then you would have earned a spot on my team. Are you up for it?"

Aria straightened her spine and looked into his eyes. Her eyes darkened to an emerald green, sparking determination. "I accept."

Kaiba smirked at her resolve. "Good. Langley will send it over to you immediately."

Aria nodded and headed back towards her desk.

"Oh, and Miss Ito?"

She stopped and looked back at him.

"Don't disappoint me."

She looked at him a second longer then gave him one curt nod and continued to her desk.

Kaiba watched her go, feeling even more impressed by her tenacity to prove herself. He knows she won't let him down. He leaves the lab, heading back up to his office, thoughts filled with the raven-haired beauty.

 **000**

Aria stayed long after closing hours. Kaiba wasn't kidding when he said that the assignment was challenging. But she was too elated by the fact that she got to work on something that actually required some skill! Her mind had went into overdrive trying to figure out how to accomplish Kaiba's objectives. She was definitely going to have to think outside the box.

Once she got outside the office building, she decided to hail a cab as she doubted the buses were running too regularly at this time of night. Within minutes a cabbie had pulled up to the curb. The ride home allowed Aria to reflect on what Kaiba had did for her today.

To say she was surprised was an understatement. When he came into the lab earlier and called her name, she was sure she was getting the axe. The insubordination she showed in class the other day could not go unnoticed. But instead of reaching out with an axe, he extended an invite to prove herself. It was so unlike the Kaiba she had portrayed in her mind.

Aria rested her forehead against the back window. Watching the city lights flicker pass, she found herself wondering how a man who was supposed to be so callous act like he had a heart. His actions today showed that he listened to her yesterday and cared enough to do something about it. Or was this all business? Aria let out a sad sigh. Maybe she was looking too far into things. It could only be that Kaiba sees her potential and wants to utilize it for his next big development.

The cab pulled up in front of her house, it was late, but Aria could depict a few lights still on through the lace curtains. She inwardly groaned to herself at the prospect of having to face her stepfather. He seemed to have blissfully left her alone all week and now she's waiting for him to ambush her. The calm before the storm so to speak.

Aria paid the cab driver, climbed out and walked up the steps to the house. She debated getting into her room through the trellis, but she had learned the hard way that putting off her stepfather only made the inevitable meeting much worse.

As she stepped into the front foyer, she saw that the door to his study was closed but could see the light on underneath the door. Should she approach him? Or continue on, pretending that she doesn't know he's here?

She just stood there in the front foyer, hands clenched at her sides, immobile with indecision. She shouldn't have to feel this way in her own home. It may be Riku's house, but the last memories of her mother were here. Of her cooking in the kitchen while singing horribly off-key to ABBA. Or of her attempting to knit a sweater for Aria. She never did get the hang of it, but she always thought that knitting was a trait every good mother should have.

Tears pricked behind her eyes at the memories, but Aria blinked them away. Five years her mother has been gone now, and Aria still had moments when she woke up in the morning and expecting to smell her home-baked muffins. But that was all gone now, and with it went all the things that made this house homey.

Thinking of food made Aria's stomach growl. With all the excitement at work, she completely forgot to grab some dinner. She took one last look at the door to the study and decided to head to the kitchen first before deciding what to do about Riku.

Walking towards the back of the house, Aria entered through a swinging door into an immaculate white and stainless-steel kitchen. She was glad Riku made a modest enough income to have hired help clean and do the grocery shopping, otherwise the house would be in shambles. She stuck her head into the refrigerator rummaging through for some ingredients to make a sandwich. She was too tired to put much effort into anything else.

While still looking inside the fridge, she heard the tell-tale sign of heavy footsteps approaching the kitchen, followed by the door swinging open and close. So much for eating first. She stood up and turned around to face her stepfather.

Riku stood with his thumbs looped around his suspenders, his face contorted into what she thinks was supposed to be a smile. "I haven't had a chance to speak with you all week. How is the internship at Kaiba Corp going?"

Aria's defenses immediately went up. His tone was way too conciliatory, Riku _never_ spoke to her this way. "It's fine" she answered carefully. "It's only been two weeks, so they don't have me working on too much yet."

"Oh? Surely they must've given you something by now."

She clenched her teeth together, trying not to say anything that would reveal her recent interactions with Kaiba. "Well my supervisor Mr. Langley won't give me any special assignments." Which was true, it was Kaiba who had given her latest special assignment.

"But you work in a lab with other programmers, don't you? Have you overhead anything that might indicate a new development from Kaiba Corp?"

Now Aria was in full alert mode. "You seem more interested in what they're working on then my internship. You should know better than anyone that I can't divulge anything that concerns Kaiba Corp."

Riku put his hands up in mock surrender. "Just trying to help. If I knew what they were working on I might be able to help you get on board."

"Thanks for the offer" she replied coolly. "But I think I can handle it."

Riku's eyes suddenly went hard. "Just don't forget where your roots came from. You'd be out on the streets right now if it wasn't for me. You owe me." He scowled at her and with a snarl on his lips, he turned around and left the kitchen.

Aria was left seething. How dare he act like he gave two figs about what happened to her! He only kept her around because she came with her mother. And then when she had passed away, he found a use for her at his company. But there was no reason to keep her around now. Unless he was planning something…

Aria was usually pretty good at handling her stepfather. But this was a side of him that she had never seen before. She could tell that he was interested in Kaiba Corp, but what could he benefit from knowing their latest project? Fenrir was too far below their standards in being able to provide any programming services.

Aria left the components to her sandwich in the fridge, her appetite gone. She slowly trudged to the stairs, looking forward to the solace of her room. The one place she felt a smidgen of comfort, which was saying a lot.

 _Home…_ When was the last time she actually felt at home somewhere? With Riku's new threats, the house was even more desolate and felt devoid of any warmth. It was moments like these that Aria missed her mother most. She brought a pleasant light into any room she walked into to.

But her mother wasn't here. Aria wished she could just walk out those doors and never look back. But with her 18th birthday still months away, she wouldn't be able to live on her own without someone calling Children's Aid on her and sending her right back.

School was almost over, then all she had to do was survive the summer and then she was off to college. Even if she didn't win the scholarship, there was no way she was staying here any longer then she had to. She would find a way.

Reaching her room, she immediately went to the bed and crawled under the covers, fully clothed. Her thoughts drifted to her mother and her sunny smile, but the last image to cross her mind before sleep took he was that of a pair of steel blue eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The weekend went by quickly for Aria and she was soon back to work again on Monday. She was able to get out with Yugi and the gang over the weekend, but she actually looked forward to getting back to work to continue on her assignment. It was exciting trying to write a program for a specific purpose while also obeying the parameters of said program.

She suppressed a giggle at how nerdy that sounded. She really did fit into her group of friends that Kaiba had dubbed "The Geek Squad". Which was kind of ironic as Kaiba was probably the biggest geek out of all of them. He just had the billion-dollar price tag to go with it.

Kaiba…things have been interesting between them. Especially at school. When Aria walked into her history class on Monday, she had caught his eye. She wasn't sure how to acknowledge him, so she just gave a quick nod and took her regular seat. It used to be so much less complicated when she just thought he was an arrogant jerk. At least then she knew how to act around him. But now, she wasn't so sure.

Aria's mind whipped back to the present. She was sitting at her computer at Kaiba Corp, apparently her mind had drifted away for a second.

Aria refocused herself and continued working, her eyes darting quickly back and forth as she read and deciphered code. She heard a frustrated sigh from beside her. She looked over to see her co-worker, Jim, pull his hands through his hair in exasperation.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I keep getting these stupid error messages whenever I try to add my layer of code to the already existing ones. No matter how many times I go through it I can't seem to find the problem."

"Maybe it's not your layer that's the problem. Maybe it is something in one of the other layers that isn't compatible with yours."

"No I don't think so" he replied. "Langley himself approved the other layers."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Well I'm sure Langley's not perfect, just because he approved them doesn't mean they're not infallible. Why not ask him to review the previous layers, see if he missed something."

Jim let out a snort. "I think I'd rather try and keep my job." He shook his head. "No, I think I'll take my chances and try and get my layer to work."

Aria looked at him in astonishment. Were all the men in this room really so spineless? And to Langley of all people. "Tell you what, how about you send me over the previous layers and see if I can find anything amiss."

He looked back at her quizzically and then shrugged. "Its your funeral."

Soon Aria had the previous layers loaded onto her screen. After about half-an-hour, she found something in the second layer. It was easy to see how it was overlooked, as the coding worked fine with all the other layers, it was just the last one that it wasn't compatible with.

Aria doubted that Jim would have the nerve to bring this to Langley's attention. Maybe if she did it then the other workers would see that they didn't need to cower in fear of Mr. Langley.

Aria got up from her work station and walked up to the front of the room to Langley's desk. She stood a few feet away and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mr. Langley?"

"Was is it Miss Ito" he replied without looking up at her.

Annoyance welled up inside her at his rudeness, but she quickly squashed it back down. "I was helping a co-worker with the five layered system. It appears there was a discrepancy in the second layer that was prohibiting him from adding the final layer."

Langley finally stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. "What are you doing working on the five layered system? And I already approved the second layer."

Aria used all her willpower to stop her eyes from rolling. "Yes, I was told. But when I looked back over it there was an error that only came up when the fifth layer was added."

Langley's eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" He said this so loud that everyone in the room had stopped working and were staring at the confrontation.

Aria refused to be intimidated by this bully and stiffened her spine. "No I am not. But I did find it prudent to alert you to an inconsistency in the coding. Especially since you failed to notice it the first time!"

Now she could see a vein starting to throb in Langley's temple. She may have taken it a step too far. She was always getting into trouble with her big mouth.

"That's it Ito. You're out!" barked Langley. "I don't care what Mr. Kaiba sees in you, I want you out of my lab! You can finish your internship out down in records."

Aria stood there agape. Now she'd done it. But her look of bewilderment soon turned into one of anger. Her fists shook at her sides as she tried to formulate a retort. But she didn't have to. For as just the words were about to leave her mouth, Seto Kaiba walked into the room.

 **000**

Kaiba sat in history class trying to look bored. But the truth was that school had become more…bearable lately. As the day wore on he found himself eagerly awaiting his last class of the day. Adversely, work had become more frustrating. He spent his whole weekend playing catch up as he has found it increasingly difficult to work during the evenings when he knew a certain green-eyed woman was stationed only a few floors below him.

As Kaiba sat there, his eyes immediately went to her when she entered the room. He immediately chastised himself for acting like an infatuated teenage boy. But he couldn't bring himself to look away.

When her eyes met his, he used all of his self-control to keep his face impassive. He thought he saw a slight flush creep up on her cheeks but before he could inspect further, she gave him a quick nod and then hastily sat down in her seat. He was surprised she had indicated his presence at all. She was a spit-fire, he knew that much about her. But he had noticed that recently around him she acted more nervous than anything. A small smile played at his lips. Unless he goaded her that is.

When the bell rang, Kaiba attempted to act nonchalant and deigned not to look at Aria as he walked past her desk and headed for his limo.

Once seated in his office he tried to empty his mind and focus on work for once. For about an hour he succeeded, but it seemed the gods were against him. In order to continue he needed to go down to the computer lab to talk to Langley. A phone call would probably suffice, but Kaiba wanted a face-to-face explanation to ensure that everything was being followed to his exact specifications. He wasn't going to let one girl affect the quality of his task.

With an embittered sigh, he got up from his desk and headed to the computer lab. As he got off at the 10th floor, he noticed through the hallway window that everyone was staring towards the front of the room. He quirked an eyebrow quizzically and then noticed that Aria was not a part of the stupefied group.

 _What had she gotten herself into now_ he thought. He hurried to the door and almost ran in. What he came upon was Aria standing at Langley's desk, fists clenched at her sides, her whole body shaking. Langley was half standing up from his chair with his knuckles planted on the desk. Both were staring each other down.

"What seems to be the problem here?" he asked evenly, coming to a halt behind Aria.

Neither one looked his way, nor did anyone respond.

He crossed his arms, a glower forming on his face. "I asked you both a question" he said a little more forcefully.

This at least caught Aria's attention, and her hackles seemed to deflate a bit. "Nothing Mr. Kaiba. I was just getting ready to gather my things and head down to records."

Kaiba focused onto Langley. "Care to explain."

Langley fully extended his frame and straightened his attire. "Miss Ito thought it wise to involve herself in another's work that was not her own. Apparently, she thinks she is more capable at doing my job."

Kaiba had to quickly grab Aria by both arms to stop the little vixen from charging at Langley. It looked like she was ready to scratch his eyes out.

She controlled herself but did not step out of Kaiba's arms. Still looking at Langley she said "I found an error in a layer that he had already approved. When I called him out on it he accused me of insubordination and told me to get out."

Kaiba looked over Aria's head at Langley, contemplating how to handle the situation. Once he was sure she wasn't going to charge again, he reluctantly let go of her arms. "Miss Ito." She turned to look at him. "I want you to go back to your station and complete the project I assigned to you."

Aria stared at him dumbfounded. "You're not going to let him- "

"I said return to you station" he repeated, this time with a hard gaze.

For a second it looked like she was going to defy his order. But instead her shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head. "Yes Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba observed her go and then turned back to Langley. When he saw the smug look on his face, he was tempted to punch him out himself.

"In the future Langley, whenever you feel like demoting someone, I want you to run it by me first. Are we clear?"

A bit of the smugness evaporated off Langley. "Perfectly sir."

"Good. Now that I cleared up your little altercation, I did have a purpose for coming down to see you."

After speaking with Langley Kaiba turned to leave the lab but stopped at the door and turned back to Langley. "Oh, and Langley."

He looked up.

"I heard there may be an issue with the second layer. Make sure it's resolved." And with that, he left.

 **000**

The next day at school, Aria couldn't help but feel like life was against her. All she wanted was to get out. Out of her stepfather's house and out of the cage she has felt like she's lived in for the past five years. Free to make her own choices, free to go her own way.

But it felt like it was no longer just her stepfather who was trying to stuff her into a cage, but now also Langley while Kaiba stood by holding the key. She still couldn't believe he let Langley treat her so abhorrently. Mind you, Langley doesn't seem to treat any of his employees well, but he definitely holds a deeper prejudice against her because of her sex. Maybe Kaiba thinks the same as Langley. Maybe the whole "letting her prove herself" act was just that, an act, a charade. She doesn't know what he gets out of it, a completed work of coding apparently.

All of these thoughts had been running inside of Aria's head all day. By the time history class rolled around, she was afraid that by the time she saw Kaiba, she would be showing him what a real woman was made of.

Upon entering the classroom, she forced herself to not even look at his corner to see whether or not he was sitting there, and immediately took her seat. All she had to do was pretend that he didn't exist. Staring at the front of the room, waiting for class to start, her eyes instinctively went to a figure walking through the doorway.

When emerald met sapphire, she inwardly cursed herself and looked away in distaste. So much for acting like he doesn't exist. At least he was sitting behind her, which made it much easier to ignore him. With her eyes at least, but she found her mind constantly straying to the man who sat behind her.

Aria couldn't leave the room fast enough when the final bell rang. She didn't even hear Yugi shout her name as she practically ran to the front doors of the school. But as she threw them open, she was abruptly halted by what she saw.

Rain. And not just a light sprinkle either. But a deluge. It was like the heavens had opened up and let down the shower that caused the great flood. What was she supposed to do? She didn't think to bring an umbrella, not that it looked like it would do much good. She hated the idea of arriving to work looking like a drowned rat, she just couldn't give Langley any more ammunition to use against her. Guess she'll just have to clean herself up as best she can in the lobby bathroom.

Determined from her decision, she was just about to step down into the downpour when a voice stopped her.

"Looks like you could use a lift."

She closed her eyes and let out a breath. Why does it always have to be him?

She turned around to see Kaiba walking towards her. He was holding an umbrella in his right hand and a briefcase in his left. He was the only 17-year-old she knew that could make himself look 30 but youthful at the same time. "I'm good thanks."

"Your good?" he asks, disbelief in his tone. "Were you planning on swimming today to work?"

"I hear it's a very economical way of traveling" she replied archly.

He gave a small chuckle. "Well since we're heading the same way, how about I save you the trouble."

He walked up beside her and opened up his umbrella in the rain. "Shall we?"

Aria badly wanted to say no. She didn't want to have to need Seto Kaiba for anything. How could he be the cruel, standoffish CEO one moment, and then turn around and be the charming, considerate gentleman the next?

She looked back out at the rain. What choice did she have? She nodded, not looking him in the eye and stepped out with him into the rain.

The umbrella wasn't meant to have two people underneath it, but she was still staying relatively dry. She tried not to walk too close beside Kaiba, but whenever his arm brushed up against hers, it sent shivers shooting up and down her spine. She couldn't remember ever standing this close to him before, of feeling so…aware of him.

Aria gritted her teeth together and focused on the limo ahead, while trying to quell her racing heartbeat.

Upon reaching the limo, Kaiba opened the door for her to get in. She mumbled a quick 'thank you' and quickly scurried over to the other side. Kaiba soon followed.

After clicking in her seatbelt, Aria was reconciled to look out her window the whole ride, hoping to give Kaiba the message that she wasn't in the mood for small talk. But when she felt a sprinkling of water hit her, she couldn't help but look over.

Kaiba was running his hand through his hair, trying to shake out the water. It left his hair looking disheveled but even more attractive. Aria could feel her cheeks beginning to warm. She always knew Kaiba was good-looking but that was when she only saw him as a conceited know-it-all. Now after being exposed to this other side of him, it was harder to ignore. _Much_ harder.

She quickly lowered her eyes before he could catch her staring. That was when she noticed that the whole left side of his trench coat was dripping.

"You're soaked!" she exclaimed.

"I can change when I get to work, its no big deal."

That was when Aria realized why she had remained quite dry below the umbrella. Kaiba must've been holding it more on her side.

"You know, if you keep this up" she said. "Then you might ruin your reputation as the most ruthless CEO in Domino City."

He smirked at that. "I'm not too worried" he replied.

Aria shook her head and went back to looking out the window even though she could barely see anything as it was raining so hard.

"Am I going to get the cold shoulder from now on then?" Kaiba asked after a few minutes.

Aria didn't answer. She knew deep down she was acting like a petulant child, moping over the unfairness of the world. What did Kaiba care anyway? He was getting what he wanted. In the end, men like him always got what he wanted.

Kaiba let out a heavy sigh. "I know you're upset over what happened yesterday" he began. "But I couldn't reprimand Langley without there being repercussions."

Aria looked over at him incredulously. "What do you mean you couldn't? You're the head of the bloody whole company! And he was obviously in the wrong and you just let that snake get away with it!"

Now Kaiba began to look irked. "And what do you think would've happened if I had set him down while praising your discovery?" he said flatly. "Your job would've became a living hell, that's what."

Aria paused, doubt beginning to form in the pit of her stomach where her anger had been brewing.

"Believe me when I say this Aria, Langley would've had you quitting by the end of the week."

Aria fell back against the seat deflated. She knew Kaiba was right. It would've only cemented Langley's dislike of her and he would've found a way to send her packing.

She heard Kaiba give a light chuckle beside her. "What's so funny?"

"I'm trying to figure out which I like better. The Aria who gives me a run for my money with her temper and wit, or the Aria at work who acts much more…" he waves his hand in the air, pretending to think of a word "…submissive".

Aria let out an unladylike snort. "You would prefer your employees that way."

Kaiba gave her a knowing smile. "At least you always speak your mind."

Aria didn't have time to respond as they had just pulled up in front of Kaiba Corp.

Kaiba gets out of the limo first, holding the umbrella again for Aria.

Aria climbs out and they begin walking together towards the building. Again, she notices that the umbrella is held mainly over her.

When they come out of the revolving doors and start walking across the lobby, Aria immediately becomes self-conscious to be seen next to the CEO. What would people say? Would they think they're like…together? She shakes the thought as it seems pretty farfetched that a man like Kaiba would pursue a girl like her.

When they enter the elevators, Kaiba swipes his key card and pushes the 10th and top-level buttons.

"I look forward to seeing how your assignment is coming along." He says simply as the elevator moves upward.

Aria notices that Kaiba is back to all business. She's a little relieved as she knows how to handle this Kaiba. The other Kaiba is still very much a mystery. And it's not one she is sure she wants to solve. "It is coming along very nicely. I plan on submitting it to you by the end of the week" she replied.

The elevator stops at the 10th floor and Aria steps out and begins to walk away.

"Miss Ito"

She stops and turns around to see Kaiba with one hand on the door to stop the elevator from closing.

"Try not to rile up Langley too much, for both our sakes."

She can't help but give a small smile and watches as Kaiba steps back into the elevator and the doors close.

 **A/N: I found this chapter to be very fun to write! Shout out to exaltedvalkyrie for the reviews and feedback. I'm hoping my writing will steadily improve as the story continues. To my Canadian friends, enjoy your Canada Day long weekend!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was in Aria's 13th year when her mother passed away. By then she had been married to Riku for three years. And in those three years, Aria quickly learned that her new stepfather saw her as more of a nuisance then family. The only reason Aria could fathom for Riku marrying her mother was because of her undeniable beauty. With Fenrir beginning to rise in the corporate ranks, Riku needed a trophy wife to hang onto his arm to aid him in the social standings of higher society.

Why her mother would marry a man of such shallowness was actually an easier question to answer. With her father dead, Aria's mother needed to ensure her only daughter was provided for. So, she became the sacrificial lamb, putting her daughter's happiness far above her own. By marrying into the Ito name, her mother saved them from being destitute and homeless.

About a year after marrying Riku, Aria's mother was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Aria often wondered if her mother had known for awhile, thus resulting in the drastic measures of marrying a man like Riku.

In just two short years, the cancer claimed her mother's life and then it was only Riku and Aria. With her mother no longer acting as a buffer between them, their relationship grew even more strenuous. She had hoped that by enrolling in a prestigious high school, things would improve. But when she didn't provide anything that Riku could gain from, she was seen only as a parasite. Always taking and never giving. And Riku never gave anything without expecting something back in return.

The moment that changed the outcome of her future, was the day that Aria met Yugi Motto. In her freshman year of high school, Aria registered into a computer programming class as an elective. What was supposed to just be a filler class, ended up becoming her favourite one. It was in that classroom lab that Aria discovered her aptitude for coding, as well as a new friendship.

It was Yugi who gave her the idea on how to become useful to Riku and all he had to say was "Wow, your stepfather must love having you around to help out with his software company". It was like a lightbulb had gone off in Aria's head. By offering her programming abilities to Riku, she had earned herself a place in his home while gaining herself valuable experience.

It was at that point that Aria realized she didn't have to accept her fate. She could instead choose the path in which to walk down. And so started her plan of getting out of Riku's life and leaving him behind forever. She knew that if it were up to him, he would forever exploit her at Fenrir and would never let her go as long as he benefited from her. It was because of that fact, that Aria had no qualms about deserting him. Obviously the last eight years of her living under his roof have meant nothing to him.

This is what Aria has told herself anytime she became doubtful of her plan. As she sat at Kaiba Corp, finishing up her assignment for Kaiba, a new determination set in. She was going to ace this project, get on the team for the new software development which will blow her applications for the scholarship out of the water, and then she can finally leave all this behind. And never look back.

She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes from staring at a screen so long. Aria knew it was time to submit the assignment for review, but she feared the feedback she would get from Kaiba. What if she didn't meet his expectations? Which she was sure were exceedingly high. But unless she wanted to be stuck doing novice work for the whole summer then she just needed to do it.

Aria closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she breathed out and opened her eyes she started consolidating the file for transfer. Before she could lose her nerve, she quickly hit submit and prayed it would be enough.

Rising from her chair, Aria strolled up to Langley's desk. To say things have been strained between them would be an understatement. Ever since their little tiff, Langley has resorted to acting like she doesn't exist. Which was fine by her.

Approaching his desk Aria tried to ask as politely as she could, "Excuse me, Mr. Langley?".

He gave a quick glance up then went back to looking at his computer. "What do you need now Miss Ito? Discovered another glitch in a layer?"

Aria chose to ignore the jab, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of getting a rise out of her. "I just wanted to inform you that I submitted my assignment for Mr. Kaiba."

Langley let out an irritated sigh and clicked a few times with his computer mouse. "I'll transfer it to Mr. Kaiba for review. You can go back to your seat now, I'll send over some tasks to keep you busy."

Though Aria knew she was dismissed, she didn't move to go back to her station.

Langley gave her an annoyed look. "Was there something else?" he asked suspiciously.

Probably expecting another outburst, but Aria kept a cool and collected demeanor. "I was wondering when to expect a response from Kai- um, Mr. Kaiba." She hoped her almost slip-up would be lost on Langley. She didn't need him thinking that her relationship with Kaiba was anything but professional.

"I would be surprised if Mr. Kaiba got back to you at all concerning your assignment" said Langley. "I think you are forgetting your place. Now please return to your seat" he said with a sneer.

Aria's back stiffened at his tone. Knowing it would only make matters worse if she talked back to him, she simply turned on her heel and went back to her chair. She hated having to let him get the last word in, but she was walking on a thin enough line as it was.

She rubbed her hands over her thighs, trying to dispel the tension that was radiating off her. If today was Friday, then that gave Kaiba the weekend to look over her assignment. Then she would hear back Monday, she was sure. And hopefully that will wipe off some of the smugness that Langley had been projecting at her.

But when Monday came and went, Aria's hope deflated a bit. On Tuesday, she constantly glanced out the lab window, hoping to catch a sight of purple walking by, but nothing came. Even at school, Kaiba remained aloof and gave no indication of having examined her work. She tried to stay as late as she could, but when 7 p.m. rolled around she knew that she needed to go and couldn't wait any longer.

Maybe Langley was right, that she wasn't going to hear anything from Kaiba and would just be stuck in the lab for the rest of the summer.

On Wednesday, Aria had given up expecting Kaiba to come for her and boringly looked on at her screen, trying to find some interest in the work that she was doing. She wondered if it would be enough to grant her the scholarship. She should be hearing any day now if whether or not she got accepted into her college program. At least she would be able to check that off her list.

When Aria heard Langley's phone ring at the front of the room, her body couldn't help but perk up. She tried to slow back down her heartbeat, chastising herself for her anxiousness. A phone call could be anything, hardly something to get excited over.

"Miss Ito."

Aria's head whipped around, looking for the source of her name. When her eyes rested on Langley, she realized it was him who had called it. Trying not to act too eager, Aria slowly rose from her seat and attempted to walk nonchalantly to the front of the room. She stopped in front of Langley's desk, hands clasped in front of her to stop herself from shaking. "Yes, Mr. Langley?"

He gave her a long, hard stare. She wondered if he was going to say anything at all. Then finally "Mr. Kaiba would like to see you up in his office."

Aria looked at him incredulously. He wanted her to go to his office? She wasn't expecting that. Still trying to wrap her head around it all, she realized she hadn't moved and Langley was looking more and more impatient.

"Ri-Right, I will go see him right away then" she stammered.

Langley didn't respond and simply went back to his work.

Aria slowly walked out of the lab and towards the elevators. Upon entering, she became aware that she wasn't sure which floor his office was on. But then she remembered that she had seen him press the button when they last rode the elevator together.

She swiped her key card and pressed the button for the top floor. She snorted to herself at the fact that Kaiba's office was on the highest level. Where else would it be for the pretentious CEO?

When the doors opened moments later, Aria had to do a double take at the number above to make sure she was on the right level. The elevator doors had opened up into what looked like a board room. There was an oblong table in the middle of a rectangular room. Five empty executive chairs sat on either side, with one more at the head. What made the room unusual, were the three closed doors along either side of the room.

Aria stepped into the room and went along the left side, reading the name plates on the doors as she went by. The first one said Chief Engineer, the second Chief Financial Officer, and the last Vice-President of Operations. She guessed the opposite wall had similar titles on their doors.

Reaching the far end of the room, she noticed there was one more door that stood alone. On it read;

 _S. Kaiba_

 _President_

She was surprised he would share a floor with so many other offices, wouldn't he want a floor all to himself? It wasn't like he couldn't afford it. Standing at the door, she was unsure what to do. He was expecting her, but did she knock first? She decided to rap lightly on the door, but instead of hearing Kaiba's husky voice, a soft female one bid her to enter.

Puzzled, Aria opened the door and saw that it opened into a smaller room. It was smaller in length, but the same width as the board room. Windows covered both sides of the wall, letting in a great deal of natural light.

A blonde woman sat a desk near the far end of the room. Another closed door sat behind her. Approaching her desk, Aria noticed that the woman barely looked in her thirties, with her beach blonde hair and immaculate makeup. She looked more suited for a career in modelling then as a secretary. Aria tried to hide her derision at Kaiba employing such an obviously attractive women for an assistant. It just seemed too cliché.

When the secretary looked up at her approach, she gave what seemed like a genuine smile. "You must be Miss Ito. Mr. Kaiba is expecting you, you can go right on in."

Aria returned a tight smile and then looked at the door. _This is it_ she thought to herself as she grabbed the door handle and opened it.

Aria was surprised by the last two rooms she walked into, but it was nothing compared to the shock she felt when her eyes took in Kaiba's office. There was not one wall space, panelled windows covered the whole perimeter of the room. A few potted plants that looked like mini palm trees were stuffed into the corners, and it looked like the floor was made from the same type of wood. The room had a very _airy_ atmosphere to it, that if she just focused on the blue sky through the windows, she could pretend she was on the beach instead of the top floor of a skyscraper.

Having nothing left to appraise, her focus finally went to the desk at the center of the room but was pushed back to the far wall. Kaiba sat behind a glass workspace, with an iMac sitting on the corner. He wore an amused expression on his face, like he found her assessment entertaining. When she found the courage to move, she timidly strode forward. That was when she noticed a white, baby grand piano on her left. She couldn't imagine Kaiba playing it, was it just there to give an illusion of luxury? He obviously didn't need the help.

When she stopped a few feet away, Aria tried to discreetly rub her sweaty palms onto her pants. Kaiba leaned forward and planted his elbows on his desk. She wanted to instinctively take a step back.

"Thank you for coming to see me Miss Ito." Kaiba said. "Please take a seat."

Aria slowly lowered herself onto the edge of one of the ivory backed chairs, too nervous to relax into it.

"I can see you're anxious to hear about the assignment you submitted" he said with a smirk. "So let's just cut to the chase, shall we?" he said offhandedly.

Aria was taken aback by his directness, but at the same time appreciated skipping over the formalities. She had been on edge for the last five days and didn't know if her nerves could take waiting any longer. She gave him a curt nod for him to continue.

"Overall, I was very impressed by the work you handed in."

Aria's body relaxed in relief.

"However," Kaiba held up a finger to indicate he wasn't finished. "You have a lot of room for improvement. Believe it or not there were a lot of rookie mistakes. But you were able to complete the goal I wanted to achieve." He leaned back in his chair and studied her, awaiting her response.

"Thank you Kaiba, I appreciate the feedback. After all, I am here to improve my programming abilities."

A small smile formed on Kaiba's lips and then he let out a soft chuckle.

Aria looked at him, confused. "I don't see what's so funny."

He shook his head. "I don't think I've ever seen you this laid-back before, or this well-behaved, in my presence at least." He said with a smirk "You even left out the Mr."

Aria flushed at having addressed him so informally at work, but also at the implication that she wasn't usually well-behaved around him. Crossing her arms with a scowl on her face she said "Well, you do know how to bring the best out in people."

There was a gleam in Kaiba's eyes and then he threw his head back and laughed. He actually laughed! Aria didn't think he was capable of the action. But a warm feeling spread through her chest at the thought that she made him laugh. That was when she heard the door open and close behind her.

"Hey Seto, what's so funny?"

 **000**

Kaiba immediately stopped laughing and directed his gaze at Mokuba who had just walked into the room. It was times like these that he wished his secretary would be stricter about letting his little brother just walk into his office whenever he wanted.

"Sorry Mokuba, but I'm in the middle of a meeting. Can you give us a minute?" he said pointedly.

Kaiba watched as Mokuba focused his attention on Aria, who had swiveled around her chair to see who had spoken. Kaiba then inwardly groaned when he saw recognition light up on Mokuba's face.

"I know you! You're that cute girl from the pizza parlour Kaiba told me about."

Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose, embarrassed by Mokuba's candidness. If he wasn't blushing right now, he was sure Aria was. He was surprised when she replied in an even tone.

"Yes, I remember you too. You're Kaiba's little brother, right?"

"That's me!" he said, proudly pointing at his chest.

"I'm Aria, it's nice to meet you."

"Mokuba", Kaiba said warningly "Miss Ito and I still have some things we need to discuss."

"Oh, gotcha. I'll just sit over here then until you're done." Mokuba flashed Kaiba an innocent smile.

Kaiba shot him an irritated look. He saw right through Mokuba's little charade. His conniving brother was purposely trying to linger to corner him about Aria. Kaiba had no doubt.

With huff he brought his attention back to Aria who was now facing him again, he could still detect a slight colour to her cheeks. "Sorry for the interruption." Kaiba shot another glare over to Mokuba. "He's pretty used to having free reign around here."

Aria let out a soft chuckle. "No worries, I think he's cute." She looked over her shoulder and gave Mokuba a small wink. Mokuba rewarded her with a big smile in return.

Kaiba never thought he would be envious of his brother, of anyone for that matter. But watching Mokuba interact so easily with Aria, made Kaiba wish he sometimes had that ability to make people more relaxed around him. Okay, maybe not people, just one certain person.

Kaiba cleared his throat to gain back Aria's attention. "Getting back to your work assignment. Although you completed your objectives, there is still much you have to learn. So, I have a proposition for you."

Aria sat up straighter. Kaiba noticed that her hands were clenched together in her lap. A sign, he is learning, that meant she was nervous.

"If in the next few weeks you show significant enough improvement, I'll put you on my special development team. That way school will be done, and you can focus your full attention on the project for the summer. Sound fair?"

Kaiba eyed her as she took in a deep breath and pursed her lips but ended by silently nodding.

"Good. I'll have Langley send me your reports for review, which I will return to you with written feedback. That will be all Miss Ito."

Aria nodded again and then stood up to leave. As she walked by Mokuba who was still sitting quietly on a couch, she sent him a small wave as she passed by.

Kaiba let out a huge breath of relief when the door finally closed behind her. "Your timing is impeccable, you know that?"

Mokuba came bounding over to his desk, a cocky look on his face. "I knew you liked her" he said crossing his arms smugly.

Kaiba crossed his arms as well and glowered at his brother. "You're coming to irrational conclusions Mokuba. We were simply having a business meeting."

Mokuba's face suddenly went somber. "She made you laugh Seto. People never make you laugh." He gave a sad smile. "Not even me."

Kaiba returned his smile with a grim one of his own. "What do you want me to do Mokuba?" he said, holding out his hands in defeat. "She is an employee of Kaiba Corp. I don't think you realize how inappropriate it would be for me to…pursue her."

"But…you do want to pursue her, don't you?" Mokuba asked tentatively.

Kaiba rubbed his hand over his face. That was exactly the question he had been avoiding, knowing that the answer would only be a losing one. "It doesn't matter Mokuba. It would be seen as a very exploitative relationship, especially with me being the president of the company. The last thing I need is a lawsuit on my hands."

"Well, technically she is only a _temporary_ employee. She's just an intern, right? So, when the summer is over she's no longer your employee." Mokuba said brightly.

Something flickered in Kaiba's chest, but he squashed it before it could grow into anything more. "That may be, but for now she is an employee and I refuse to get myself involved. It's bad for business."

"Sometimes Seto," Mokuba said. "It's not always what's best for your company. Maybe you need to start looking at what's best for you."

Kaiba stared in surprise at his brother's reproach but tried to dispel the tension by laughing it off. "Since when did my brother become the serious Kaiba?"

Mokuba smirked. "Since my brother needed some serious dating advice."

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Your reviews really influenced this chapter, so keep them coming! And FYI, I plan on expanding more on Aria and Yugi's past in future chapters. That was just a teaser ;) I'm going to try really hard to do weekly updates, but life gets in the way, blah blah blah, so no promises! Thanks again everyone!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Aria slowly opened her eyes to a soft sunlight beginning to stream through her bedroom window. The fogginess of a dream laid at the fringes of her mind. As she tried to grasp at the lingering tendrils, she found that they kept escaping through her fingers. Giving up, Aria turned over onto her side and looked at her alarm clock. It read 6:50. She had woken up 10 minutes before her alarm was set to wake her and signal that it was time to get up to get ready for school.

Heaving a sigh, Aria sat up and stretched her arms. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stepped lightly down onto the carpeted floor and headed for her private bathroom. Once showered and dressed, she decided to check her emails on her computer before heading down for breakfast. When nothing new popped up, Aria pushed away from her desk and looked again at her bedside clock.

7:10. She moaned when she saw that she still had almost an hour before school started. Aria couldn't remember feeling this restless before. Ever since she started her internship, her world has been topsy turvy. She allocated the blame on having to balance work and school life, making her too busy.

 _Or it could be a certain CEO,_ came a whispering thought. Aria covered her eyes with both hands, not wanting to go down that road again. What was it about him that kept making her think about him? It's true that she had never met a man like him. For acting so cold, Aria could definitely feel the passion that simmered below the surface. The passion that fuelled his company. But was that all he cared about?

Mokuba's face came to her mind. She couldn't believe how the sweetest kid could be related to Kaiba. They seemed to her to be complete opposites. She could tell though that they were close. She smiled at remembering Mokuba's ribbing, making Kaiba flustered. She doubted many people could do that and get away with it. Her face suddenly warmed when she realized that she was one of those people. That Kaiba actually enjoyed their back and forth repartee.

Giving her head a physical shake, Aria forced herself to think realistically. But what was she even daydreaming about in the first place? She refused to answer that question.

Seeing that the clock now read 7:30, Aria could finally go downstairs, make herself a quick breakfast, and be at the school before the 8 a.m. class start.

Fortitude setting in, Aria stood and made her way downstairs. _I'm not going to let a stepfather get in my way_ Aria said to herself. _And that goes for handsome CEO's as well._ She inwardly cringed at the slipup of thinking Kaiba handsome.

Arriving at school with five minutes to spare, Aria hastily stopped at her locker before rushing off down the hall to her first class. Although it was hard to pick out someone among the throng of students since everyone wore the same uniform, Aria couldn't help but briefly glance to see if she could spot any tall brunettes sticking out in the crowd.

Her first class sped by as did her second. Since school would be out next week, most teachers were going over review for their final exams. Aria had thought about asking for next week off from work, so she could focus on studying, but she worried it would hinder her chances of making it on Kaiba's special team. It'll just mean some late nights and long weekends of being locked away in her room.

Entering into the cafeteria for lunch, Aria grabbed a tray and joined the lineup of students buying their food. Just as she reached the buffet table, an arm was slung around her shoulders.

"Hey Ari, you don't mind if I cut in here do ya?"

Aria rolled her eyes at Joey's boyishness but smiled at his sweetness. "I don't mind. As long as you get a written note from each person behind me saying that they are okay with you butting in line."

"If you're okay with it, I'm sure they are" he said as he started piling as much food as he could onto his tray.

Aria shook her head, a smile still on her face. She found Joey too adorable to be mad at.

"Besides," Joey continued, "no one would dare confront a hottie like you".

He said this with a friendly wink and Aria couldn't help but laugh at his outlandishness. It was one reason why Aria loved being a part of the gang. They treated her like a friend and weren't constantly trying to get her to go out with them. When she first entered into high school, she was startled at the forwardness of some of the boys. Apparently, she had "filled out" over the summer, bringing along a lot of unwanted attention.

When Yugi invited Aria to join them for lunch for the first time, Aria was hesitant. There were three boys and only one other girl. But she soon discovered the boys were all clownish more than anything else. And Tea immediately accepted her into their folds, happy to finally have another girl friend.

Once they paid for their food, Joey and Aria walked together to their usual table where Yugi, Tristan and Tea were already sitting. Aria sat beside Tea at the end, while Joey sat across from her.

"You guys ready for exams next week?" Yugi asked everyone.

"I'm ready for school to be done" answered Tristan.

"But that means we won't be seeing each other as often" Tea said sadly. "Especially with all of us going off to college in the fall."

"Did you receive your acceptance letter yet Aria?" Yugi asked.

"Sure did!" she answered enthusiastically. "My scholarship application is just waiting on my reference and I should hear by the end of the summer."

Everyone congratulated her and continued talking about their own college acceptances. Thinking of her reference made Aria look around the cafetorium, to see if she could find Kaiba. She found him a few tables over, sitting by himself with just a book and a cup of tea in front of him. His head was down as if he was reading, but Aria could detect a slight grimace on his face. She frowned wondering what was bothering him.

"Hey, Ari!"

She snapped her attention back to the table. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Joey gave her a quizzical look and looked over to where she had been staring a moment ago. "I was asking who was going to be your reference, but I think I found my answer." He thrust a thumb over in Kaiba's direction.

Aria tried to hide her interest in Kaiba by acting indifferently. Shrugging one shoulder she said, "I probably have a much better chance with him then with my supervisor."

Joey snorted. "Yeah right. I don't think I've heard one positive thing come out of the guy's mouth once. Too busy singing his own praises."

A defense rose to Aria's lips, but the bell rang before she could utter it. As everyone started to clean up their trays, Aria realized how close she had come to publicly defending Kaiba. What was happening to her?

As Aria also rose, she snuck one more quick peek over to Kaiba's table, but it was already empty.

"See you guys in history!" Tea yelled back as she headed off to her own class.

Aria grimaced at the thought of having to see Kaiba there. She was being affected by him too much lately.

But Aria's unease was unfounded as Kaiba was absent throughout all of history. She found it strange as he was obviously at school earlier. She shrugged it off thinking that he probably got called in for a company emergency.

Happy when the school day was finally over. Aria hurriedly headed out to catch her bus, excited to continue her work at Kaiba Corp. Kaiba had already sent down some feedback and she was eager to implement it into her work.

Arriving at the office building, Aria ran into the women's washroom and changed into her "work" attire and continued on to the lab.

As per usual, Langley didn't acknowledge her presence when she walked through the doorway. Feeling unperturbed by this, Aria simply went to her station and got down to business. However, soon time got away from her and when she looked at the clock next, she saw it was past seven o'clock!

Quickly saving her work and shutting down, Aria immediately left to head down to the lobby. She had a ton of studying to do and had not planned on staying so late.

Upon exiting the elevators, Aria tried to walk speedily without breaking into a run. She wanted to at least appear dignified. Approaching the revolving doors, Aria willed them to turn faster, walking as close as she could to the glass. But in her haste, she tried to squeeze through the opening prematurely and ended up catching her feet and went sprawling on the other side.

 _Ow…_ she thought sheepishly. She slowly stood and started brushing herself off, noticing thankfully that there were no scrapes or bleeding.

Just as Aria caught her breath, a force rammed into the back of her, sending her sprawling again.

 **000**

Kaiba opened his eyes. After blinking a few times, they began to adjust to the darkness of his bedroom. He didn't need to look over at his clock to know that it was 5 a.m. But for once he wasn't in a rush to jump out of bed and hurry on over to Kaiba Corp for his morning meetings. Instead he rested one hand behind his head and tried to remember the dream he had been having. A flash of pushing back a black lock of hair invaded his mind.

He growled in frustration. _Who cares about dreams anyway?_ He thought grumpily.

Pushing himself out of bed, Kaiba went over to his attached bathroom to get ready for the day. After showering, he went and stood in front of the mirror, buttoning up his school uniform. He scowled at his reflection, impatient to be done with exams so he could finally get rid of this attire. It barely had the decency to be called clothes.

Walking downstairs, Kaiba walked right by the kitchen, opting to grab a cup of tea at work instead. When he exited out the front doors of the Kaiba mansion, the sun was just starting its ascent, the glow of dawn barely kissing the horizon. The limo was idling down at the end of the walkway as usual.

Once at work, Kaiba tried to focus on the meeting taking place with his executive directors but found that his mind was not engaged. Instead the wisp of a dream kept coming to the forefront, hindering his attention.

When the room suddenly went quiet, Kaiba refocused onto the board room table and saw everyone looking back, awaiting his response. Kaiba couldn't remember what they had been talking about, and hoped that they were just waiting for him to adjourn the meeting.

"Thank you, gentlemen. That will be all."

When they nodded in response and began to rise from their chairs, Kaiba almost let out a breath of relief at having guessed right. But he made sure he kept his face impassive as he watched them return to their prospective offices.

After everyone had vacated the room, Kaiba looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time to head over to the school. He knew he could probably skip these last classes of review and still ace his exams, but he found himself unable to stay away.

Getting up to leave before thoughts of how foolish he was being could change his mind, Kaiba went straight to the elevators to descend down to where his ride would be waiting to take him to his next destination.

Soon enough, Kaiba was strutting down the halls of the school, putting on an air of condescension. But his eyes were constantly flickering over the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of thick raven hair. He finally spotted her, hurrying over to her locker, thrusting it open impatiently and then heading off in the opposite direction.

Kaiba tried to compress the feeling of disappointment that she hadn't noticed him, dejected by the thought that she probably wasn't searching for him anyway. Continuing on to his first class, Kaiba prayed the day would pass quickly. How he wished that history wasn't his last class of the day.

After two very long and boring classes, lunchtime had arrived. The cafetorium was about half full by the time Kaiba entered. He glanced over at the "dweeb" table and noticed that only Yugi and two other of the nerd groupies were sitting. Aria and Wheeler were no where in sight.

Kaiba strolled over to the beverage table to get his customary cup of earl grey. While he steeped his tea, he debated about whether to head over to the food bar to grab a scone to accompany it. Just as he turned around to go in that direction, he froze.

Kaiba stood and stared as he witnessed Wheeler saunter up to Aria and haphazardly throw his arm around her shoulders. Although she rolled her eyes, she didn't move away from him and instead smiled up at him. If Kaiba had gripped his mug any harder, it probably would have collapsed in his hand.

Kaiba didn't know what was more appalling. That Wheeler, a second-rate duelist, could be so brazen with a looker like Aria, or the fact that she didn't rebuff his overtures! He couldn't remember them ever acting as an item before. He searched through his memories of them in class and outside of school together but came up empty.

Accepting, albeit doubtfully, that they must just be good friends, Kaiba moved to turn away. At the last second, he espied Wheeler say something to Aria with an audacious wink and then watched as she threw her head back and laugh.

Not able to watch anymore, Kaiba sharply turned around and stomped his way over to a solitary table. Dropping down onto the bench, he smacked the book he brought with him down on the table and tried to lose himself within its pages, trying to forget what he just observed. But he couldn't dispel from his mind the sound of Aria's musical laughter. If a loser like Joey Wheeler could bring that out of her, then certainly he could do the same.

Kaiba gritted his teeth in reminder that he wasn't supposed to be meditating on what Aria found humorous. She was an employee, nothing more. _Then why are you jealous?_ A voice in the back of his mind muttered. This caused Kaiba to frown further. As if trying to disprove the statement, he looked over at their table and regarded Wheeler with his thumb thrusted towards him and Aria respond with an indifferent shrug.

By that point Kaiba had had enough. Nimbly rising to his feet, his tea left untouched, Kaiba sped towards the front doors of the school, deciding that he didn't need to attend his last two classes after all. He had a multibillion-dollar company to run and couldn't afford to waste anymore of his time at this hovel of an establishment. Couldn't afford to waste any more time thinking about _her._

Rushing out the doors into the afternoon sun, Kaiba abruptly stopped when he noticed that his limo wasn't outside waiting for him. He sighed in annoyance when he realized that it wasn't scheduled to pick him up until the end of school. He could call his driver to come get him now, but that could mean a 20-minute wait, and Kaiba needed to get away from here, now.

Walking down the steps and onto the sidewalk, Kaiba elected to instead travel on foot back to work. The 45-minute trek would be good for clearing his head.

After about ten minutes, Kaiba's body had visibly relaxed and the anger that had fuelled his jealousy was ebbing away to a low simmer. Kaiba hadn't realized how much he missed being outside, soaking up the rays. He must look dreadfully pale from being cooped up in an office for so many hours of the day. He couldn't regret it though. Kaiba Corp's stocks have soared exponentially since Battle City, and the revenue from the duel disks was phenomenal. But like any new technology, it only had a limited lifetime until it became outdated. And it was Kaiba's life ambition to keep Kaiba Corp as the top competitor in its field. He would rather die before letting another company have that title.

Lost in his thoughts, the 45-minute hike felt like it went by in minutes. Approaching the base of the Kaiba Corp building, Kaiba stopped and looked up, taking it all in. In just four short years, he had totally restructured the Kaiba Corp foundation. Switching over from building military weapons to making duel monster technology, the company now made more money than it ever did under the guidance of his stepfather.

A deep sense of pride filled Kaiba as he stared at the fruition of his accomplishment. Holding his head high, he strode into the lobby, feeling the power he held reverberate through him. He felt confidant of where he stood and wasn't going to let one moment of jealousy shake that again.

Once in his office, Kaiba immediately sat down at his desk and started to work with a fervor that he hadn't felt in a long time. Soon he was lost within programs and software mechanisms. When his office door opened without a knock, Kaiba knew immediately who had walked in.

Wondering why Mokuba had arrived so early, Kaiba glanced at his clock and was surprised to see it was 7 p.m. He hadn't even noticed that the natural light in his office had significantly dimmed.

Kaiba stopped typing and eyed his brother. Mokuba seemed his usual cheerful self. Perhaps a little too cheerful. A bounce in his step as he came up to Kaiba's desk, Kaiba inwardly groaned, knowing that Mokuba was probably going to request something of him. He never did have a good poker face. It was one Kaiba trait he had yet to acquire.

"What is it Mokuba?" Kaiba asked, cutting to the chase.

Mokuba shrugged nonchalantly, but Kaiba saw through it for what it was.

"Well actually, now that you ask," Mokuba began. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. Do something fun."

Kaiba almost snorted at the word "fun". He couldn't remember going out and doing something he actually enjoyed. Not related to work of course. But didn't he say he was going to try harder in spending more time with Mokuba? The last outing they did was pizza at Bartini's and that was weeks ago.

Looking over at his computer, Kaiba contemplated Mokuba's request. Since he had came back early from school, and worked productively for quite a few hours, he was actually ahead in his planning. Although he never said the words to Mokuba, Kaiba loved his brother very much, and actually wanted to choose him over his company for once.

"Alright Mokuba, let's go."

Mokuba's eyes widened in surprise, obviously not expecting his older brother to yield so easily. "Really? Just like that? I don't have to beg first?"

"Am I not allowed to actually want to take my little brother out somewhere?"

Mokuba crossed his arms and glared at Kaiba. "Okay, who are you and what did you do with my big brother?"

Kaiba responded with a stony look. "Are we going out or not?"

Mokuba put his hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, fine, I'm not complaining."

Exiting out of the office together, Mokuba and Kaiba rode the elevator down and started to walk across the vast lobby to the revolving doors.

"So, I was thinking we could do like mini putt or something, just like old times" Mokuba said as they entered into the revolving doors.

Walking through, Kaiba looked down at his brother skeptically. "Mini putt? You can't be seri-oof! " He felt his body collide with another just as he was leaving the entrance. Before he could fathom what had just transpired, he watched as a head of black hair went flying towards the ground.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Kaiba's arms instinctively reached out to grab the person before they could hit the ground. When his fingers closed around fabric, he yanked back, sending the form falling back in the opposite direction. Kaiba used his body to stop their momentum with a thud and soon a small figure was leaning back into his chest. A figure that he could now tell had very womanly curves.

At first, Kaiba had reacted solely on impulse to stop the person from falling to the ground. But now with her pressing against his chest, it was easy for Kaiba to recognize that it was Aria who he had slammed into. With her so close, her scent drifted over Kaiba, and soon all he could smell was a light floral scent of lavender. He was tempted to put his nose in her hair and deeply breathe in the scent.

"You know, you really need to stop making it a habit of running into me or I might think you're doing it on purpose."

Kaiba snapped out of his reverie at the sound of her amused voice. Unwillingly, he let go of her arms and allowed her to step away from him to turn around. "Maybe you need to be more aware of where you're standing." He intended for the retort to come out biting, but it fell flat.

Aria gave him a knowing smile.

Mokuba poked his head around and lit up when he saw who Kaiba had bumped into. "Hi Aria!"

Aria broke her gaze with Kaiba and smiled over at the bushy haired kid. "Hey Mokuba, I didn't see you there."

"What are you doing here so late?"

Kaiba was wondering the same thing.

"Oh, I just lost track of the time," Aria replied. "I was actually rushing home, so I could get started on my studying."

"If you were rushing then why were you just standing outside the doors?" asked Kaiba with a raised brow.

Aria turned a little pink and looked down at her shoes "Well…because I was in such a hurry, I kind of tripped coming out of the revolving doors, and when I had stood back up, that's when you came out."

Kaiba smirked at her obvious embarrassment. Although he loved seeing Aria with her eyes flashing in ire, he couldn't help but think that the meek and abashed Aria was pretty cute too.

"Anyways," she continued, "I better get going. Thanks for not letting me eat the sidewalk."

She turned to leave with a wave and started to walk away. Kaiba frantically tried to think of something to make her stay but was coming up empty. Fortunately, Mokuba intervened.

"Why not join Seto and I for our outing? It'll be much more fun if you come along."

Aria stopped and turned around, indecision showing clearly on her face. "That's nice of you to offer Mokuba, but I wouldn't want to impose on your family outing. And I really do have some studying I need to get to."

"I'm sure the studying can wait," broke in Kaiba before Aria could turn away again. He was going to kick himself for this later, but for right now, he didn't want her to leave just yet. "Mokuba could really use the spirited accompaniment, since, lets face it, I'm not exactly the life of the party."

Aria looked stunned at his pronouncement, but it soon turned into a wry smile. She looked back up the street as if contemplating whether or not to accept his offer. When she looked back, she peered into his eyes for a second then slowly nodded her head.

"Awesome!" cheered Mokuba. "Let's hop into the limo so we can decide where we're going." He ran over and threw open the door before hurrying inside.

Kaiba walked over to hold the door open, and with a sweep of his hand, signaled Aria to go in ahead of him. Not meeting his eyes, she shuffled over and climbed in, Kaiba followed close behind. When he sat down, he noticed that Mokuba had taken a seat on the bench that ran the length of the limo, leaving Aria to take the seat beside him. Kaiba didn't know whether to hug or throttle his brother for his meddling.

"So," Mokuba chimed in. "I had suggested mini putt, but Seto vetoed the idea. Got any ideas Aria?"

"Well…" began Aria uncertainly "I heard that there was a carnival in town for the weekend, down on the boardwalk. But if Kaiba didn't want to do mini putt then I doubt he would go to a carnival."

"You know I'm sitting right here," he deadpanned.

Aria and Mokuba looked at each other and shared a small laugh.

Kaiba gritted his teeth together at being the butt of the joke. But his anger was short-lived as it was good seeing Mokuba laugh with someone. Heaven knows Kaiba can't make him do it. "The carnival is fine. Driver?"

The limo immediately started driving forward.

"Wow, a real carnival!" exclaimed Mokuba. "Do you remember Seto when the orphanage took us all to that dumpy one? They couldn't even afford us tickets for rides so all we did was walk around looking at them. Except for the Ferris Wheel, Seto was able to purchase me a ticket for that one."

"Oh?" said Aria intrigued, looking over at him. "And how did you manage that?"

Kaiba looked out the window, uncomfortable under her scrutiny. "It was nothing."

"Nothing!" Mokuba blurted. He looked at Aria and explained. "He basically went up to every person and begged for money."

Kaiba risked a glance over at Aria, and saw her eyes brimming with sympathy. Kaiba turned back to the window. He didn't want her pity. He wasn't that little orphaned boy any longer.

"I forgot you both had grown up in an orphanage. It must've been hard," stated Aria simply.

"Fortunately, we weren't there very long" responded Mokuba. "Seto was able to wrangle an adoption out of our stepfather by defeating him at a game of chess."

"Impressive" was all Kaiba heard Aria say. What he would give to hear what she was thinking in that head of hers. Was she actually impressed? Or did she still despise him and was only acting polite for Mokuba's sake?

Soon Kaiba could see the bright colourful lights of the carnival come into view. Mokuba's face was pressed to the glass, his excitement obvious. At least he knew someone would enjoy this outing.

When the limo came to a halt, everyone climbed out and started towards the entrance gates.

Kaiba paid for their admission and once through handed a wad of bills to Mokuba to go purchase some tickets for the rides.

As Kaiba stood awkwardly beside Aria, he tried to think of something to fill the silence. But when he looked over at her, he saw that her face was filled with awe from looking at all the attractions and flashing lights. He forgot that he wasn't the only one who had to deal with an overbearing stepfather.

"I'm guessing your stepfather never took you to one of these either," stated Kaiba.

Still looking around, Aria let out a loud snort. "Riku is a stepfather in legal terms only. I was never a daughter to him, only someone in which to use for his own personal gain."

"Funny how we seem to have that in common."

Aria stopped and looked at Kaiba with a sad smile. "I guess we do, don't we?" She gave a small chuckle. "Never thought I would have something in common with 'the great Seto Kaiba'," quoting her earlier depiction of him.

Kaiba couldn't help but smile at how much that statement had irked him when she first uttered it in contempt. Ironic how it was now an inside joke between the two of them.

Soon Mokuba was back with a ton of tickets. He grabbed Aria's hand and started dragging her to all the different rides.

Kaiba trailed behind, content to watch his little brother share in the enjoyment with someone. _Almost like a sister._ Kaiba quickly flicked that thought away, refusing to let it delve deeper.

After Mokuba and Aria had exhausted most of the rides, they headed over to the carnival game section. Aria proved herself to have a terrible arm, but Kaiba was impressed at how well she shot the ducks with the BB gun. Soon enough, her and Mokuba were starting to collect a huge number of stuffed animals from their winnings.

As they started to head back towards the exit, Mokuba quickly stopped them. "Wait! We haven't ridden on the Ferris Wheel! We gotta do that one for old times sake."

Kaiba rolled his eyes with a huff but walked back in the direction of the Ferris Wheel. As they stood in line, Kaiba tried to look everywhere but at Aria. Afraid that she might figure out that his feeling towards her was not entirely platonic.

"Are you okay Aria? You're looking a little pale," Mokuba asked, concern etched in his features.

Kaiba quickly looked down at Aria to see what the matter was. And sure enough, her face had gone pale, and her hands were clenched in front of her, as was her customary sign that she was nervous or anxious.

"I'm fine Moki," Aria answered. She attempted to give him a reassuring smile, but it came out more like a grimace.

Someone started to talk to Mokuba ahead of them, and with his attention drawn away, Kaiba stepped closer to Aria and fervently whispered "What's wrong? Tell me."

Aria's eyes met his and if felt like the rest of the world had melted away. "It's just…" she began, biting her lower lip. "I have a thing against heights."

A breath of relief escaped Kaiba. Thankful that it wasn't anything serious. "Then why did you agree to go on the Ferris Wheel?"

She gave him a dubious look. "You of all people should know how hard it is to say no to that kid."

Kaiba chuckled. "He does have a way about him."

"Hey guys," Mokuba said, turning back around. "The people in front are looking for someone to make up a fourth person. I figured I would join them and then you two can go on together."

"Oh, that's okay Mokuba. I can just sit this one out" Aria volunteered.

Kaiba gave her an amused expression. "Not afraid are you Ari?" he said with an arrogant smirk.

Aria scowled in return.

"C'mon Aria, if Seto is game, then you have to go on," Mokuba whined.

Aria's face softened as she looked back at Mokuba. "Alright Mokuba, just so we can say that we actually got the president of Kaiba Corp to ride a Ferris Wheel."

Mokuba laughed and then it was Kaiba's turn to scowl. He should have known that she would try and get payback for calling her out.

Shortly it was Mokuba's turn to climb on, which left the last open seat of the wheel for Kaiba and Aria. Once they had settled and the bar lowered, Kaiba didn't realize how close in proximity they were going to be. The summer air suddenly felt a lot warmer.

The Ferris Wheel started its clockwise rotation. Kaiba noted that Aria's hands were gripping the handrail like her life depended on it. "Relax. Breathe." He said reassuringly. "Try and enjoy the ride."

"Easy for you to say," she mumbled back.

When their seat had come to the apex of the rotation, it abruptly lurched to a stop. Aria gasped at the sudden movement, quickly latching on to Kaiba's hand that sat between them.

Kaiba was taken aback by the gesture, but Aria seemed too paralyzed with fear to truly notice what she was doing. Kaiba gripped her hand in return, trying to think of how to distract her.

"Why do you wear that attire to work?"

Aria blinked rapidly, confusedly looking over to him. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong, it's very professional, but it doesn't seem like something you would normally wear."

Aria licked her dry lips, discombobulated by the turn of conversation. "I didn't want to go in to my internship looking like an inexperienced teenager." Her lips suddenly curved up at the corners, like she found something funny.

"What?" Kaiba asked, wondering what could make her feel so amused at a time like this.

"It's just…" she tried to bite her lip to hold back a smile. "It seems silly now, but I think I also wanted to disguise myself a bit, so that you wouldn't recognize me as the girl who had set you in your place at school. I was afraid you were going to fire me once you found out."

"Setting me in my place? Is that what you thought you were doing?" he asked amusedly.

She smirked at him with a twinkle in her eye. "It was about time someone did it."

Kaiba shook his head in amazement. How could he fall for the one woman who wasn't afraid to stand up to him? He froze at the comprehension of what he just said to himself. But he knew couldn't deny it any longer. He had fallen for her. He was drawn to her because of her ability to stand up to him. All the reasons of why he shouldn't get himself involved with her, didn't seem to matter anymore. All he knew, was that he wanted her to be his.

The Ferris Wheel started moving again and although Aria's grip had softened, she didn't remove it. As the wheel continued to turn, Kaiba and Aria sat in silence, neither one wanting to break this prohibited moment. For Kaiba knew, once they were let off, their distant relationship would ensue.

After a couple of cycles, it came to a stop to let them out. Kaiba helped Aria out and all too soon, had to let go of her hand.

It was like their time on the Ferris Wheel had been in a different world, where they weren't separated by work and life. Now Kaiba just had to figure out how to bring the two together.

 **000**

Aria was at a total loss of what to say. The limo ride to her home felt stilted and awkward. Fortunately, Mokuba kept up a steady stream of chatter about the carnival, and she only had to nod and smile at the right moments. Kaiba just stared out the window the whole time, arms crossed over his chest, his signature somber look set in place.

Aria couldn't stop berating herself for how she acted on the Ferris Wheel. What he must think of her! But even though she was thoroughly embarrassed by her actions, she couldn't help but think about why he never let go of her hand. Did he not want to hurt her feelings? After hearing Mokuba's tale of them at the orphanage, it was clear that Kaiba wasn't as hardhearted as everyone made him out to be.

As Aria peeked over to study Kaiba, she felt herself softening towards him. She could not fathom how her feelings had changed for him so drastically in the last month. But what could she do about it? Nothing. She would be off to college in the fall, and he would continue his relentless reign within Kaiba Corp. A pang of sadness crept into her chest at the revelation.

Soon, too soon, the car pulled in front of her house. It was barely over 9:30, all of the lights looked off in the house. Riku must still be out at his pub. The last thing she needed was a confrontation with him. When Aria had hastily decided to join Kaiba and Mokuba, she hadn't been thinking about the possible repercussions.

"Thank you for inviting me out tonight," she said, directing her smile at Mokuba. She was too afraid to acknowledge Kaiba. "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Thanks for coming Ari!" Mokuba said, giving her one of his widest grins.

Still not looking at Kaiba, Aria left to get out of her side of the limo.

"I'll walk you to the door," said Kaiba, in a tone that stated she didn't have a choice.

Her heart a flutter, Aria walked alongside Kaiba up the interlock walkway. When they reached the door, she turned to face him but kept her eyes on the ground. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Aria."

Aria slowly raised her eyes until they met his. His face was impassive as always, never revealing his emotions. How she wished she could read what he was feeling right now.

A stray breeze blew by, whisking a lock of hair across her face. Kaiba steadily lifted his hand and brushed the curl back and tucked it behind her ear. Her breath hitched at the contact, but Kaiba's eyes never wavered.

"Have a good night," he said simply. And with that he turned back around and left. Aria watched from the doorstep as he entered the limo and drive away until it was out of sight.

If Aria's thoughts were a turmoil before, now they were in an upheaval. She walked through the threshold in a daze. Closing the door, she leaned back against it, letting the cool of the wood permeate her body. A crack of a smile broke its way through as she replayed the events of the night. Aria knew there was going to be hell to pay Monday when she returned to work. Her and Kaiba had crossed the line that separated personal from professional. But she didn't want to think about that now. For tonight, she just wanted to bask in the delight of having enjoyed an evening with a handsome boy.

"Had fun tonight did we?"

Aria nearly jumped out of her skin. She whirled to her right, searching in the darkness for the source. Only one voice could send such an icy stab into the pit of her stomach; Riku.

Aria's eyes were drawn to a small red light in the living room. Once she adjusted to the dark, she realized it was the tip of Riku's cigar as he drew in a drag. She felt glued to the floor, unable to run away.

"And hear I thought," Riku said in a lazy drawl, "that you had no interaction with the CEO of Kaiba Corp. You've been holding out on me Aria."

Aria stiffened at being caught within her deception. Her eyes suddenly narrowed in suspicion at how Riku knew that she was out with Kaiba. "Tell me," she said with a new-found boldness, "how did you know where I was tonight? Something tells me you didn't figure it out when I walked up to the door."

"Oh, I have my ways," he responded evasively. Rolling the cigar between his fingertips.

"You had me followed, didn't you?" she cried. His lack of response was all the answer Aria needed. Now her anger was really starting to rise. She couldn't believe the audaciousness of her stepfather. He already controlled her life, like a puppeteer with a marionette, but having her followed? That was a step too far.

"The point is," Riku continued, as if he had done nothing wrong, "is how we can use this opportunity to further Fenrir's prestige."

"There is no 'we' Riku, there never was."

His gaze turned into a hard glint. "That's right, you were planning on going to college in the fall. Computer science if I'm not mistaken. And you were going to pay for it all by winning a scholarship. Did I forget anything?"

Aria stumbled backward. She could feel her fear clawing its way up her throat, suffocating her. How could he possibly know all that? Riku may have acted like a prestigious corporate man, but there was no way he had this much power at his disposal.

"How?" she croaked.

An evil smirk stole across Riku's features. "I have recently acquired certain…resources. But back to business my dear." He pressed his cigar into the ashtray, the room now illuminated by only the moonlight through the window. "Since you have acquired a valuable opportunity at Kaiba Corp, you are in a prime position to obtain what I need."

Aria kept quiet. She didn't want to be a part of this twisted game Riku had constructed, but she needed to know what he wanted from her. Something had happened to make her stepfather much more dangerous.

"Kaiba is working on a new development that is going to change the world of technology. But you are going to get it for Fenrir first, before he can market it."

Confusion swept through Aria. "But that doesn't make any sense. Fenrir is just a software company, it doesn't manufacture its own technology."

Riku held up a finger to silence her. "But there is another company that can, and Fenrir will develop the software for them, earning us a hefty commission. We just have to provide the plans."

Understanding began to dawn on Aria. Riku had been planning this since he heard she had gotten the internship at Kaiba Corp. That was why he had allowed her to go through with it. To utilize her. Aria had never felt so used, so naïve. "You can't make me go through with this," she said with resolve. "I won't let you."

"Oh, I think you will," Riku stated simply. "For if you don't, I will personally make sure you are never accepted into any college program or hired on by any company. You will be permanently blacklisted."

If there was a chair behind Aria, she would have sat down, but all the could do was lean against the door frame, her body weak. Thoughts began to quickfire off in her brain.

How could she oust Kaiba Corp like that? Her heart dropped. How could she do that to Seto? But what other choice did she have? Her life would be ruined, if Riku was serious on his promises, and it sounded like he must've made some powerful friends. How else could he have concocted such a plan?

"I can't promise anything," Aria uttered. She closed her eyes, hating herself for the words she was saying. "I'll look into it, that's all I can do for now."

Riku's grin deepened at her surrender. "It is fortunate that you should have developed such a cozy relationship with Mr. Kaiba. You should have no problem getting close enough to acquire the information needed."

Aria's eyes flashed in ferocity. "I will not act the hussy just to meet your demands Riku. My position in Kaiba Corp should be enough to get what you want."

"As long as you do get it," he responded with a merciless glare.

Aria straightened, too overcome with emotion to say anything more, she turned on her heel to run to the confines of her room.

"One more thing," Riku said, halting her halfway up the stairs. "If you runoff to your boyfriend about this, there could be dire consequences. Let's not have to resort to that, shall we?"

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Aria ran as fast as she could away from her stepfather, tears streaming down her face. Throwing open her door, she collapsed on the bed, her head buried in the pillow.

She doesn't know how long she lied there, sobbing her heart out, but when the weeping began to subside, Aria began to assess the situation. There had to be a way out. There was no way Riku could've covered every loophole. She just had to buy herself some time.

A few fresh tears escaped when she realized what she had to do, and that was to distance herself from Kaiba. If she got any more involved with him romantically, Riku would not hesitate to take advantage of it. And it looked like he would stop at no lengths to achieve his goals.

Mokuba's face came to mind and Aria shuddered at the thought of anything happening to him. She had known Riku was cold, but she could never have imagined that he would be this malicious.

Still lying in bed, Aria wept over the tangled mess she had gotten into. Eventually she fell into a restless sleep.

 **A/N: Wow that was a long chapter! I was hoping you would be able to help me with some feedback. First, what is your opinion of my portrayal of Seto so far? He got a little sentimental in this chapter, is it too much? Does he need to be more stern? Second, because this chapter ended up being so long, I worry that I may be dragging out scenes. Did you enjoy them? Did it get boring? I know I am opening myself up to some more strict constructive criticism but I feel it is necessary if I want to improve my writing. Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favourites. You guys rock!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Aria stayed in bed until late Saturday morning. She hadn't slept well. Her eyes were still red and puffy from all the crying throughout the night. She knew she should be getting up to try and study, but it just seemed so useless. What was the point if her future was ruined anyway? Aria felt so stupid that she thought she could outsmart Riku and escape from him. Of course he wouldn't have let her go so easily.

Looking back at the clock it now read 11:14 a.m. Aria didn't know what to do. If she felt like she was in a cage before, now she felt like she was in a bottomless pit, shrouded in darkness. Aria wished with all her heart that her mother was here to help or at least offer some advice. Aria had never felt so alone.

 _You are never alone._

Aria bolted upright. Her mind piecing together a long-forgotten memory. For those were some of the last words her mother said to her before she died.

Aria could see herself now, just a 12-year old girl sitting beside her mom in the hospital. When she had taken a turn for the worse, Aria refused to leave her side, wanting to get as much time as she could before she was gone.

"What am I going to do mom?" Aria said, weeping. She clutched at her mother's frail hand, willing her to get better. Don't leave me with my stepfather, if you're gone than I will be completely alone." She collapsed onto the hospital bed, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You are never alone."

Aria stopped crying and looked up at her mother. She was smiling at her, even though it looked like it used all of her strength.

"Even when I'm gone Aria," her mother continued, "I am still always with you. Riku may be a hard man to live with, but you are stronger than you think."

Aria fell back on her pillow. Her mother knew what kind of man she was leaving her daughter with. But she also seemed to think that her daughter was strong enough to stand up to him.

Aria got back up and swung her legs out of bed. Her mother believed in her. She knew that if she was here right now, she would be cheering her on, to not give up. Aria had the whole summer to try and figure out how to get out of Riku's blackmail. For now, she would go back to maintaining a strictly professional relationship with Kaiba. Which meant no more "outings".

Aria felt a bit bereft of the thought. Not just because she would miss spending time with Kaiba, but she actually really enjoyed her time with Mokuba. He was the little brother she never had. But she knew she couldn't risk them getting caught in the crossfire. She wouldn't take that chance.

The rest of the weekend Aria spent deep in study material for her exams. She was going to move forward like nothing had changed. She split her time between hiding up in her room to sneaking out to the public library. Being at the house just felt too oppressive. So, she would study at the library until closing time, and then sneak up to her room through the trellis. She even ate out, so she wouldn't have to enter the kitchen. Anything to avoid Riku. She couldn't stomach the thought of seeing him after their last encounter.

Aria was glad to head back to school on Monday, it was the last day of review and then she had one exam for each day for the rest of the week. She feared facing Kaiba and not knowing how to react to him. After the closeness they shared last Friday, for her to all of a sudden be distant just seemed so…cold. Even without Riku's threats, Aria knew that she should never have stepped over that line. And now she has to try and repair the damage.

Aria gave serious thought to skipping out on history, but she also knew that she couldn't avoid Kaiba forever. He was her boss after all. And if she wanted to make a spot on his team for the summer, they were going to have to find that balance again at some point.

Kaiba ended up being absent for class again. Aria wondered if he did it to avoid her or if he just didn't bother coming to class anymore. Probably a bit of both. With the ring of the final bell, Aria did a quick wave to Yugi and the gang and left to make her way over to work.

Getting off the bus, Aria couldn't help but give a wry smile as she walked through the revolving doors. She was careful to walk slower this time. Cutting across the foyer, she started to make her way around the front desk when she heard herself being addressed.

"Miss Ito?"

Aria looked over at one of the secretaries that had called her. Intrigued, she went over to stand in front of her.

"I have a message from Mr. Kaiba for you. He asked if you would come up to his office straight away."

A feeling of dread dropped into her stomach. She tried to squelch it as best she could before uttering a quick thank you and continuing on to the elevators.

Apprehension gripped Aria as she rode up to the top floor. Did he want to address her unsuitable behaviour on Friday? Although the thought was terrifying, it would make things easier in trying to get things back to the way they were before.

Exiting out, Aria walked around the giant board room table and entered through Kaiba's door without knocking. His secretary looked up at her with a smile.

"Miss Ito, it's nice to see you again. You're free to go right on in."

Aria nodded and smiled in return. _For looking so high maintenance, she really does have a pleasant personality_ thought Aria.

Aria walked straight into Kaiba's office before she lost her nerve. He was seated as usual behind his desk, typing away on his computer. He looked up upon seeing her enter. She stood at the door, waiting for him to make the first move.

He motioned to the chair in front of him. "Please, sit."

Aria approached his desk and took one of the offered chairs. She sat with her heels crossed and tucked beneath her and her hands resting in her lap. She waited patiently for him to speak.

Kaiba stared at her, a stoic look on his face while he fidgeted with a pen on his desk. "I called you up here today to talk about your recent assignments."

Aria tried to remain impassive, not wanting to give anything away. On the inside, she was squirming.

"You have greatly improved since we last spoke and so I wanted to let you know that you have earned a spot on my new project team for the summer."

For a moment, euphoria blossomed in Aria at having made the team. But it quickly fell when she realized it had come after they're…excursion. She couldn't help but think that it wasn't her skills that gained her the position.

Kaiba's face fell a bit at her lack of enthusiasm. "I thought you would be more excited."

"Oh, I am," she quickly said. "It's just a big responsibility and I don't want to let anyone down."

Kaiba smirked. "I'm not too worried," he said. "I only accept the best."

Aria couldn't help but smile at that.

"And," he continued, "I'm giving you the rest of the week off, so you can study for your exams. Not that I think you need it."

"You don't have to do that."

"I just did."

Aria knew better than to try and argue. "I appreciate the consideration. If there is nothing else, I better get home to…study." She rose out of her chair and headed towards the door.

"Aria."

She stiffened at the use of her first name. She would have to remedy that. She faced him.

"I wanted to make it clear," he said, "You earned that spot on the team because you deserve to be there. Nothing else. Understood?"

Aria nodded. Inwardly, she was silently thanking him for the message he was sending between the lines. "I won't let you down," was all she said before leaving. And she meant it in more ways then one.

 **000**

On the ride home from work, Kaiba couldn't stop thinking about his meeting with Aria. Their work relationship had become so stilted. Each trying to act like what happened on Friday hadn't changed anything. He could feel Aria today trying to put some distance between them. And how could he blame her? He had exposed a small token of his feelings when he walked her to the door, and it probably terrified her.

Kaiba ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He was glad he had given her the week off. They could both use some time apart from one another. Maybe one of them will come to their senses in the meantime.

But unfortunately for Kaiba, it seemed that he wasn't going to be the one to come to his senses. Throughout the week, whenever he had to go down to the computer lab to talk to Langley, he always felt disappointment knowing that Aria wasn't going to be there.

By the time Friday rolled around, Kaiba was eager to see her again. He knew that he should be trying to tamper down on his emotions concerning Aria, but he had never felt this way about anyone. Ever. There were only ever two things that Kaiba cared about in this world; Mokuba and Kaiba Corp. But then Aria came along and somehow got thrown into the mix. He still wasn't sure how he was going to resolve the whole employee-boss issue, but he figured he would cross that bridge when he got to it.

Arriving at school, Kaiba went straight to the classroom and took his usual seat. He couldn't wait to get this last exam over with. Then he wouldn't have to worry about allocating his time away from Kaiba Corp. As he watched Aria walk into the room and take her seat, Kaiba frowned slightly. _Well_ he thought to himself, _there are some drawbacks to being done with school._

The students had an allotted time of three hours to finish their exam. Kaiba was done in one. When Mr. Armani announced that students could start leaving if finished, Kaiba immediately got up. When he exited out onto the school grounds, he saw his driver waiting for him with the limo. Kaiba hesitated. He had hoped to approach Aria today, but knowing the perfectionist she was, she'll probably be writing to the last minute.

Deciding to wait for her, Kaiba went and sat at a table. Pulling out his phone, he started to read through and answer emails. Lost in his task, the two hours went by reasonably fast. When he saw that the time was up, he put away his phone and watched the front doors, waiting for Aria to appear.

A few minutes later, Aria exited out of the school, the dweeb patrol in tow. He scowls. He knows he can't approach her when she's surrounded by her loyal nerds. What did she see in them anyway?

Kaiba got up from where he sat and slowly made his way over, hoping that Aria would separate from them soon. As a group they started walking down the street and around a corner. Kaiba followed. Hands in his pockets, his head down trying to appear inconspicuous.

When he rounded the corner after them, he saw that they all had stopped to chat just some little ways down the road. But when he perused the faces, he realized that Aria was no longer among them. Kaiba glanced around the area, trying to figure out where she could have gone.

Ahead, he saw Wheeler break away from the group and head his way. Kaiba paid him no heed. It was pretty easy for him to pretend that Wheeler didn't exist at all, unless he was being an annoying brat.

When Joey came up alongside him he stopped. "FYI, Aria went over into Central Park."

Kaiba scowled. Apparently, Wheeler was more perceptive then Kaiba gave him credit for. Still not looking at Joey, Kaiba said with an arrogant smirk, "What? No warnings to stay away from her?"

Joey smiled. "With Aria? Nah, I'm not too worried." With a salute of his hand, Joey kept on walking.

Kaiba's scowl deepened at Wheeler's words, but at least he knew where Aria was. Crossing the street, he went over to the next block where the park was located. It couldn't have been a more perfect summer's day. There was a light enough breeze that it took the edge off the heat.

Upon entering the park, Kaiba started down the shaded paved path, keeping an eye out for Aria's signature hair. Sure enough, he found her sitting on a bench, leaning back with her eyes closed. Kaiba couldn't help but take the moment to stare at her unadorned beauty.

As if sensing someone watching her, Aria opened eyes and visibly stiffened when she realized that it was him. Not saying a word, Kaiba walked over and sat beside her on the bench, resting an elbow on the back. She kept her head down, staring at her fidgeting fingers.

"I'm glad that's finally over," he said.

"Please," replied Aria, "that exam would have been a piece of cake for you."

"I was thinking more being done with high school. That was a whole two years wasted of my life."

Aria finally looked over at him with a raised brow. "I wonder how you'll survive college then."

"I'm not going."

Her mouth gaped open at his remark. "Not going?" she said incredulously. "How can you not go? You could go to any one of your choosing!"

"What's the point?" he said. "It's not like I need a job. And it would only take my time away from Kaiba Corp. I still have many plans in store for its future." He tapped his temple.

Aria only shook her head and went back to looking at her hands.

Kaiba turned his body towards her. "Let's go out tonight, to celebrate."

Aria's hands stilled. "I have plans tonight," she said, still looking down. "But you should still take Mokuba, he'd like that."

"Actually, I was hoping it would just be you and I." Kaiba knew he was being forward but beating around the bush was not his style.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Her voice held a soft tremble to it.

Kaiba was afraid of this. He knew he was asking a lot of her, but in two months it would be a totally different situation, so in the end, why did it matter? "In two months-"

"No!" Aria said forcefully, jumping up off the bench. Her arms were crossed over her stomach, but she was still refusing to look at him. He heard her take a quick intake of breath.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba, but I don't think it would be proper if we saw each other socially outside of work."

Kaiba's face hardened. "So, we're back to 'Mr.' are we?"

"It's for the best."

Kaiba pushed himself off the bench and stomped towards her. He grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face him. "Did I read some sign wrong?" he asked. "Because the night of the carnival you seemed much more 'welcoming'."

Aria's eyes flashed dark green in anger. "What was I supposed to do?" she cried. "Rebuff my boss? This is exactly what I was trying to prevent. I won't have people thinking that I slept my way onto your team!"

Kaiba's anger was beginning to rise. Girls weren't supposed to say no to _him_. "And that's why your rejecting me? Because of what people would think? Newsflash sweetheart, people are always going to talk."

Aria shook her head and took a step back. "You don't understand. You're Seto Kaiba. And I'm just the lowly intern. My future could be ruined by engaging in this…summer dalliance."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Is that what you think this is? And here I thought I was doing something amiable, even though it went against my better judgement!"

"Well, I'm glad to know your true feelings on the subject," said Aria sarcastically. "I'm sorry if I lead you on in any way. It was not my intention."

Kaiba straightened his spine, and put on his most aristocratic look, unwilling to let her see how much her words affected him. "I'm only sorry for expressing any sentiment to spend time with you in the first place." He started to walk past her but stopped with his back only a few feet away from her. "I'll see you first thing Monday morning, Miss Ito."

If Kaiba had glanced back as he walked away, he would have seen shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

 **A/N: A slightly shorter chapter but I hoped I made up for it with content ;) Rereading the previous chapters on the website, I've noticed a few proofreading errors, but they didn't show up in my word doc. I'm afraid to try and go back and update it cuz I have to first delete the chapter and then I'm afraid I won't be able to post it back in its original order. So I apologize. Hope you are enjoying the story so far! Can anyone tell me where I got my inspiration for the final scene? (Hint: It's a classic rejection scene :P) Cheers!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Kaiba stormed into his secretary's office, slamming the door against the wall. "Make sure that I am not disturbed," he barked at her as he thrust open the next door into his office. He stomped over to his desk and harshly fell into his chair. He put his head into his hands trying to collect his usually cool demeanor.

 _My future could be ruined by engaging in this…summer dalliance._

"Gah!" Kaiba cried as Aria's words reverberated through his mind. In a fit of rage, he shoved everything off his desk and onto the floor. Unable to sit still any longer, he got up from his desk and started to pace around the room. How could a mere girl say no to him, Seto Kaiba? The one time he put himself out there and he gets _rejected_!

Running his hands through his hair in frustration, Kaiba tried to think of what went wrong with Aria. He was sure she felt the connection that seemed to spark between them. But apparently to her, it was nothing serious, that he was just using her as a distraction for the summer. Didn't she realize that he could have gone to any woman for a 'distraction'? Maybe he should have stuck to those women instead, saved himself the headache.

Still too restless to even think about working, Kaiba sauntered over to his piano and began lightly playing a few notes. The notes eventually grew into more complicated melodies, until Kaiba was soon pounding out a movement from Beethoven. The ferocious composition matching Kaiba's mood. As the tempo grew faster, Aria's words continued to plague him.

 _I'm sorry if I lead you on in any way. It was not my intention._

Not her intention. Was it all just a ruse then? His fingers froze as a new thought invaded his mind. Did she do it to secure her spot on the team? _CLANG!_ Kaiba slammed his fists down on the keys, making the whole keyboard rattle.

"I wouldn't go in there Mr. Mokuba" Kaiba heard his secretary say.

Mokuba immediately froze at seeing the mess that covered the floor of Kaiba's office. Papers were scattered everywhere, even Kaiba's computer lied facedown in a heap. "What happened here?" asked Mokuba.

"Now is not a good time Mokuba," Kaiba said severely.

"I can see that," Mokuba answered.

"Then why don't you leave?" Kaiba snapped. "I need to be alone."

Mokuba's brow furrowed, as if trying to figure out what could have caused his brother to act out so violently. Then comprehension dawned on his face. "It was Aria, wasn't it?"

Kaiba shoved away from the piano, and walked over to the window behind his desk, staring out onto Domino City. "I don't want to talk about it." Talking out loud about what happened would only augment the fact that he had been rejected. By the only girl that he ever actually liked enough to ask out. He had never felt so humiliated.

"What happened? Did you have a fight?"

"Please," Kaiba said, "Couples have fights. What we had was a clarification of her position as an employee of this company."

"You mean…she turned you down?"

Kaiba scowled. "Women don't turn me down."

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "Whatever, the question is, what are you going to do about it?"

Kaiba turned around, giving Mokuba an annoyed look. "Nothing. She was just a wanna-be programmer who was trying to further her career goals."

"That's not true and you know it!" Mokuba said. "Aria is a good person."

"We hardly know her!" returned Kaiba. "She's not to be trusted."

Mokuba's eyes flashed. "I think your just sore that she didn't fall at your feet like every other girl. Don't you see that's why she's special?"

"Watch it Mokuba," Kaiba said warningly. "You're talking out of line."

Mokuba ignored him and started stroking his chin in thought. "If it's the whole your-her-boss thing that's the problem, then we need to find a way around that."

Kaiba sighed heavily and went and sat in his desk chair. "Why bother? She's not worth it."

"She is worth it. And you wanna know why?"

"No, but I know your going to tell me anyway."

"Remember at the Battle City finals, after you had defeated Joey, and I said you never smiled anymore or you're never happy?" asked Mokuba.

Kaiba did remember it, he had never seen his little brother act so vehement before. "Vaguely."

"Aria changed that. You're so…different around her Seto. More relaxed."

 _Funny,_ Kaiba thought, _I always thought I was more on edge with her around._ Kaiba rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Can't you see it's a lost cause Mokuba? You need to learn when to quit."

BANG! Mokuba slammed his fist on Kaiba's desk, startling him. "I thought you were Seto Kaiba? And since when does a Kaiba quit?"

Kaiba glared at his little brother.

"Its obvious Aria likes you. And you obviously like her, so fight for her!"

Kaiba stared long and hard at Mokuba, letting his words sink in. He knew Mokuba had a point, but a man's pride could only take so many blows. "Then what do you suggest? Since you're so wise."

"I'm getting to that part," Mokuba said. He started pacing around the room. He stopped and snapped his fingers. "I got it! What you need to do is date her, without actually 'dating' her."

Kaiba placed his elbows on the desk and started to rub his temples like he could feel a migraine coming on. "Out of all the ridiculous things you said today, that takes the cake."

"Don't you see?" Mokuba said excitedly, "Aria wouldn't actually be dating her boss, just convenient get togethers that happen to be outside of work."

"She made it very clear she didn't want to see me socially. How is that any different?"

"Then say its for work. C'mon Seto, think outside the box!" Mokuba implored.

Kaiba sighed. Should he really fight for her? What if she just turned him down flat again? "I don't know Mokuba, still seems like a stretch to get her to agree to these…get togethers. She was quite adamant about where she stood." The words left a sour taste in his mouth.

Mokuba crossed his arms and was lost in thought again. Then he looked up with Kaiba with a devilish smirk.

Kaiba's face fell. "Whatever you're thinking? No."

Mokuba's smirk grew. "What you need is some inside help, and I know just the person who can do it."

Kaiba was confused for a moment as he tried to think of who Mokuba could be talking about. And then it dawned on him. "No. Way. There is no way I am going to ask _him_ for help."

"Even if it means getting the girl?" Mokuba asked.

Kaiba swiveled away from his brother in frustration. How badly did he want to win the girl? Pretty badly. And when Seto Kaiba wanted something, he got it. "Fortunately, the King of Games owes me a favour."

 **000**

Aria ambled around Central Park for hours after Kaiba had left. She kept playing their conversation over and over in her head. Her mind kept telling her that she had done the right thing, that not only was Kaiba protected this way, but that it wouldn't have worked between them anyway. Even though all this made logical sense, why did her heart keep whispering something different?

 _Actually, I was hoping it would just be you and I._

Aria's stomach was still doing somersaults. Did he really just ask her out on a date? She snorted inwardly at the fact that Kaiba didn't actually ask at all but more stated. It was so like him. It had taken all of her willpower to say no to him. When he had started to reason with her, she knew she needed to stop him right away, before he convinced her to say yes. She couldn't even look at him when she said that she didn't want to see him socially.

Fortunately, when he swung her around and started throwing out accusations, Aria was able to use her anger to keep herself from succumbing to her feelings.

 _I won't have people thinking that I slept my way onto your team!_

Aria cringed at remembering those words. She knew they were harsh, but knowing Kaiba, he wouldn't have backed down easily, so she needed to hurt him. But in doing so, she had hurt herself. And when Kaiba finally walked away, Aria couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

And so, she had been strolling along the paths ever since. Aria hadn't been lying when she said she had plans later. The gang was meeting up at an ice cream parlour to celebrate the end of exams over milkshakes and sundaes. Aria definitely did not want to go home, so she had headed over to the park to kill some time. She still didn't know what she was going to do about Riku. She was even afraid of using the front door in case he decided to ambush her again. And with exams done, she had nothing to distract herself with. Maybe she'll ask Tea if she wanted to have a slumber party tonight. Aria just couldn't handle being in that house right now.

At about quarter to 7, Aria decided she could head over to meet up with everyone. Arriving at the parlour on foot, Aria walked in to find that no one else had arrived yet. Grabbing a booth, Aria absentmindedly looked through the menu while she waited.

"You okay there Ari? Your lookin' kinda down."

Aria raised her head to see that Joey had joined her and had slipped in across from her.

"I'm okay," she said, trying to smile reassuringly.

"Kaiba didn't do any funny business did he?" Joey asked.

Aria started at his question. "How did you know I was with Kaiba?"

But before Joey could answer, Yugi, Tea and Tristan had all walked in and crowded into the booth with them.

"I'm starving!" Tristan cried, "I'm thinking I might get the Banana Split Explosion."

"How you can ingest so much sugar in one sitting is beyond me," Tea said in response.

Soon everyone was talking about what they were going to order. Aria sent Joey a perturbed look before joining in with the conversation. She would have to find out later how he had known about her meeting.

"Well guys, look like school is officially over," Yugi said after they had put in their orders.

"Any plans outside of working at your grandpa's shop?" asked Aria.

Yugi shook his head. "I'm hoping the Pharaoh and I will get at least a little break from saving the world," he said with a laugh.

Everyone else joined in the laughter. The conversation then turned to Duel Monsters and when they think the next big tournament would be. When there was a lull in the chatter, Aria turned to Tea who was sitting beside her. "Hey Tea, would you be up for a sleep over tonight? I could really use a night away from the house."

"Sure!" Tea said enthusiastically. "Is your stepfather giving you a hard time?"

"You have no idea," replied Aria.

"Did I hear you girls are havin' a sleepover? Count me in!" Joey said, rubbing his hands together at the prospect.

Tristan smacked him behind the head.

"Hey! What was that for!" Joey cried.

"For acting like an imbecile," replied Tristan.

Aria and Tea only looked at each other and rolled their eyes at Joey's childishness.

Once everyone had finished their ice cream, they all got up to leave and headed outside to say goodbyes.

"How bout Yugi and I walk you girls to Tea's house since we're heading the same way," offered Tristan.

"How gentlemanly of you," said Tea jokingly.

"What? We can't act the gentleman every once in a while?" replied Tristan.

"If you two got the girls then I guess I might as well head on home," said Joey. "Smell ya later!" He started walking in the opposite direction down the street.

"I'll catch up with you guys, I need to talk to Joey about something," said Aria as she jogged after Joey. Yugi, Tea and Tristan gave her puzzled looks but remained silent.

"Hey Joey!" Aria called.

Joey stopped and turned around. "Yeh? What's up Ari?"

"I need to know. How did you know that I had met up with Kaiba?"

"Oh, that. Well uh…I kinda told him where to find ya."

Aria was bewildered. "But…why would you do that? I thought you and Kaiba were like arch enemies or something?"

Joey laughed. "Yeh, you could say that. But then I saw him following you like some love-sick puppy. I figured you'd send him packin' if he was unwelcome." Joey rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I was kinda hopin' you would, just to see the look on his pretty boy face."

Aria let out a humourless laugh. "Yeah, he had quite the look alright."

Joey suddenly went serious. "You mean you actually sent him packin'?"

"You sound surprised."

Joey shrugged. "To be honest…I thought you liked him. Which, to be honest, made me angry at first, but I realized that if there was a girl that could lighten' up Kaiba, it'd be you." He winked at her. "Cuz' you wouldn't put up with any of his egotistical crap."

Aria smiled. "You really are just a big softie, aren't you Wheeler?"

Joey blushed slightly. "Nah, just helpin' a guy out. Even if it is Kaiba."

Aria shook her in wonder. Joey was the last person she ever thought would help out Kaiba. "I actually better hurry back to everyone, thanks Joey." Aria turned around and started running after the rest of the gang.

"Everything okay?" asked Tea, once Aria had caught up with them.

"Yeah, just had to clear something up," she replied.

They walked the rest of the way making small talk. Once they had arrived at Tea's apartment, Tristan and Yugi waved them off and continued on their way.

As they climbed up the stairs to Tea's unit, Aria couldn't help but thank Tea again for letting her crash for the night.

"No problem!" came Tea's reply. "I'm just happy to have a female friend to hang with for once."

Aria chuckled. "I don't know how you handled going on all those adventures with three boys."

"It was tough at times, but I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Upon reaching the 4th floor, Tea lead Aria down to the door that was marked 401. Tea grabbed a key out of her handbag and after unlocking the door, slowly peered inside. "My parents go to bed early," she explained, "Which also means they rise super early."

"Would they be okay with me staying over?" asked Aria concernedly.

"Oh yeah, its no problem," said Tea, "I just want to make sure we don't wake them."

They slowly creeped in, shutting the door softly behind them. "We'll just have to stay in my room. I can grab you some PJ's and a toothbrush," said Tea.

"Oh, that's okay," said Aria. "I got all that stuff in my knapsack."

Tea raised an eyebrow at her statement but chose not to comment. "Bathroom is over there," she said, pointing to a slightly ajar door.

Aria nodded and headed over, so she could change. Once her teeth were brushed and she was dressed in her pajamas, Aria exited the bathroom to rejoin Tea. Seeing a light emitting from under one of the closed doors, Aria figured that it must be Tea's bedroom. Knocking softly first, Aria poked her head in to find Tea lying on her bed, reading through a teen magazine.

"Oh good, you're done," said Tea, rolling off the bed. "Feel free to read this while I get myself ready for bed." She tossed Aria the magazine, grabbed some PJ's, then left for the bathroom.

Aria sat down on the bed and flipped through some of the articles. One caught her eye, _10 Ways to Know if Your Crush is in to You! 1. He goes out of his way to help you. 2. He initiates the conversation. 3. Makes physical contact._ As Aria continued reading through the list, she couldn't help but compare them to instances where Kaiba fit the scenario.

Realizing her thoughts, Aria threw the magazine on the bed in disgust. Kaiba was not her _crush_. And she didn't need some heartthrob magazine filling her head with girly fantasies.

It was at that point that Tea walked back into the room, having now changed into her pajama's. She looked at the magazine now lying facedown on the bed. "Are you sure you're okay Aria?" she asked. "You've been acting a little strange lately."

Aria let out a long sigh. "Yeah I'm fine. Life is just a little messed up right now, you know?"

Tea let out a soft laugh. "When you've witnessed a shadow game, you definitely know messed up." Tea gave Aria a concerned look. "So, what's been going on? You know you can talk to me about anything."

How badly Aria just wanted to spill everything that's been going on. Her encounters with Kaiba. The blackmailing. How nice it would be to just have a friend listen to her problems. But her problems were bigger than her and she just couldn't tell someone without endangering them. But maybe she could share some of the truth, just so she could lessen the burden that had been placed on her shoulders. "My stepfather found out that I was planning on leaving for school in the fall, and he wasn't too happy about it," Aria said to Tea.

"Woah, that's crazy," Tea said, sinking onto the mattress. "Did he threaten you or something?"

"Yeah, he said he would prevent me from getting into any colleges or working anywhere but at Fenrir. I don't think he has that type of power to do that, but what if he's not bluffing? I don't know if I could take that chance."

"That is messed up," said Tea. "What are you going to do about it?"

Aria shrugged. "Continue on like nothing's changed. I'll just keep working on at Kaiba Corp until Riku makes his next move and hopefully find a solution."

"I'm sorry I can't be of more help," Tea said sadly. "But you make sure to come to me if there is anything you ever need. My place is always open."

"Thanks Tea, I appreciate that."

"Speaking of Kaiba Corp," Tea said with a sly grin, "how is it working for the infamous CEO?"

Aria groaned and fell face first onto the bed. Her head muffled in the mattress she said, "Must we talk about boys?"

"It's a slumber party! Its a given," Tea responded.

"Okay," Aria said, propping herself on one elbow. "I'll talk about Kaiba, but you have to spill the beans about you and the Pharaoh."

Tea suddenly went pink. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ha!" Aria laughed, "So you didn't go on a 'date' with him?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Tea crossed her arms and glared at Aria. "Fine, but I want to hear first about what has been going on between you and Kaiba, because he has definitely been acting weird around you, and he never acts weird around anybody."

Aria rolled back and looked up at the ceiling. "I don't even know when it all started. First, I'm yelling at him in class about what a pompous jerk he's being, and the next thing I know we're holding hands riding on a Ferris Wheel."

"You held hands!" Tea exclaimed. "I didn't think that guy had a sweet bone in his body."

"Well that's the thing," Aria said. "I had him totally pegged as this cold-hearted inhuman being, but then he surprised me." She turned to Tea. "You've actually seen more of him outside of work then I have. Do you think he's a bad guy?"

Tea went thoughtful. "He definitely acts like a jerk, a lot, but it's when you see him interact with Mokuba and how he would lay down his life for him. Did you ever hear about that duel between him and Yugi at Duelist Kingdom?"

Aria shook her head.

"Kaiba knew he was going to lose, but he needed to win in order to try and save Mokuba from Pegasus. So, he put himself on a ledge, that way if Yugi attacked, the force would've knocked him off."

Aria's eyes grew wide. "He did that?"

Tea nodded. "Kaiba is an enigma. But you actually had a date with him?"

"It wasn't a date," replied Aria, "Mokuba was there, technically."

"Still, he must really like you."

"He…may have asked me out," Aria said while inspecting her nails.

"What!" Tea nearly yelled, and then remembered her parents were sleeping in the next room. She lowered her voice. "So, are you guys, like, dating now?"

"I told him no," said Aria softly. "That's what I had to talk to Joey about tonight. He had known about my meeting with Kaiba today."

Tea looked confused. "Why did you say no? It seems like you do like him. Or enough to be thinking about him."

"He's my boss, for one. What would people say? And I'm so unsure of his character, that I doubt his sincerity."

"Okay, one," Tea replied, "He's only your boss for two months, and two, he asked _you_ out. I don't think you know how big that is Aria. I bet in Kaiba's mind, girls are supposed to ask him out."

Aria laughed at that. "You know," she said, looking amused, "I find it interesting that both you and Joey would vouch for Kaiba, even after everything you've been through with him. What gives?"

"To be honest," Tea replied, "I think it's because we've been through stuff with him that we think he's not such a bad guy as everyone believes. We may not like how he treats people but you maybe you could soften that side of him."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Like that would ever happen." She rolled onto her belly and cupped her face in her hands. "But enough about me and Kaiba. It's your turn."

This time Tea groaned. "But it's so complicated. Do we have to?"

"Hey," Aria said, "It's a slumber party, it's a given."

 **A/N: I can't believe we've reached 20 followers! You guys are awesome! Keep up the reviews! Shout out to The Ever-Dreaming Kitten for guessing correctly that the "rejection" scene was inspired from Pride and Prejudice. Glad I've been able to keep up with weekly updates, lets keep at it :)**

 **Ciao!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Aria and Tea had stayed up late into the night talking. Aria hadn't realized how complicated things were with the Pharaoh, but of course it would be complicated if someone had feelings for a 5000-year-old spirit who didn't have his own body in which to inhabit.

So, on Saturday they slept in late, then headed over to the mall to shop and hang out. The boys wanted to join them, but Tea and Aria wanted it to be just them girls for once. Although they loved the boys dearly, it was nice to not have to put up with their childish antics for the day. Tea invited Aria to sleep over again, and Aria readily accepted. She knew she needed to go back to Riku's house eventually, so she simply enjoyed her time being away.

For Saturday night, they swore to no more talking of the men in their lives and instead stayed up watching chick flicks. Aria didn't know if that was worse. Watching a bunch of on screen romances made her yearn for her own. She had been perfectly content being single, but then Kaiba had come along and stirred up feelings in her that she had never felt before. And now having spurned his advances, it made Aria feel…lonely.

By Sunday afternoon, Aria knew it was time for her to go. She had thanked Tea profusely for the amazing weekend. Leaving the apartment, she started the walk back to her stepfathers.

There was a bounce in Aria's step as she strolled down the streets of Domino City. She hadn't felt this light in years. She didn't realize how badly she had needed a friend. To pour her heart out to someone, even if only partially, had lessened the dark cloud that had hung over her head. Aria could now see some rays of sunshine poking through.

When Aria reached Riku's house (she refused to call it her home anymore), she walked right through the front door and immediately up the stairs. Not stopping to give her stepfather a chance to corner her, or even seeing if he was home at all. Fortunately, the rest of Sunday passed by uneventfully, until bedtime when Aria had to prepare herself for her first full day at Kaiba Corp the next morning.

It seemed that whenever her and Kaiba found equal footing, something always seemed to come up and send them staggering. Aria wasn't sure they would be able to find that balance again after their last encounter. There was some solace in the fact that it would only be for the next couple of months. But still. Two months of five days a week seemed like a long time. Would she be seeing more of him now that she is working on his next special development?

Aria didn't have any answers. She almost wished she wasn't a member of the team, then Riku wouldn't have been able to blackmail her into stealing the plans. That was one question she really wished she had the answer for.

Monday morning dawned warm and bright. Aria thought that rainstorms and thunder clouds would have been more appropriate for the day. But thinking of rainstorms only reminded her of the shared limo ride to work with Kaiba, and how the rainwater had appealingly mussed his hair. Was there anything that didn't remind her of him?

Now Aria stood in the lobby of Kaiba Corp, facing the elevators. The same secretary who had stopped her before, called her over again to tell her to head straight to the 29th floor. One level below Kaiba's office.

How could she go from upbraiding Domino's most powerful CEO, to quaking in her boots at the thought of having to face him. Aria straightened her spine. She earned her place on this team and whatever happens in the next few months, nothing was going to change the fact that she was a good programmer. And she would do everything in her power to help Kaiba Corp bring about the next advancement in Duel Monsters.

Her resolve set, Aria joined a few people walking into an open elevator. She hit the button marked 29. After a few stops, it was just Aria left in the elevator. When it started to slow its ascent, Aria took a deep breath.

Just when she thought she had gotten used to the extravagance and peculiarities of Kaiba Corp, Aria kept getting surprised. Stepping out onto the floor, Aria gazed around the room. No matter where she looked, everything seemed to be made of glass. The layout of the room was very similar to the top floor. A giant see-through table sat in the middle, with opaque chairs surrounding it. Separate offices also enclosed the room, except all the walls were glass, so you could see into each one. Three sat on each side.

After gaping around the room, Aria noticed that six other people sat in the middle. Probably the other programmers who had made the team. And they were all staring at her. Aria bowed politely in greeting and took a seat. A few of the programmers across from her whispered together, probably wondering why a young, _female_ programmer was in the room with them.

Ignoring them, Aria looked to the front of the room and noticed a giant white board. She gathered that they must meet in the centre to discuss collectively, and then head off to their separate offices. Aria perked up at the thought of having her own office to work in, but it quickly deflated when she realized there were seven of them, and only six offices.

Looking at the clock on the wall, it was about one minute to 9 o'clock. They must be waiting on Kaiba to introduce the new project.

Suddenly, a door banged open on the far side of the room, and Kaiba himself swept in and strode right up to the front of the room. Aria made note that the door probably leads to the stairwell. He wore his usual purple trench coat and green shirt. Although Aria liked the look on him, she couldn't help but think that she preferred his dueling attire from Battle City.

The room quieted as they waited for Kaiba to speak. He stood with his arms crossed, making eye contact with each person around the room. When his gaze found Aria's, she tried to remain as still and impassive as possible. Though in reality, her heart was galloping at the speed of a thoroughbred. He held her gaze a second longer then the rest, and then turned to the board behind him.

He spoke while typing in commands on the computer. "You are all here because you are the best programmers Kaiba Corp has to offer."

A few disbelieving glances were shot Aria's way. She glared back, refusing to be intimidated.

"As such," Kaiba continued, turning around to face them, "you will be developing the next big technological advancement for Duel Monsters." A diagram appeared on the screen behind him. Aria looked on confused as did everyone else. She saw the usual dueling discs but was trying to decipher what the other images were relating to. Then it hit her.

"You're creating an online version of duel monsters!" she exclaimed.

The corners of Kaiba's mouth tilted upward. "Very good Miss Ito. No longer will duelists have to be in the same city or even country to duel."

"Will it still be projected through holographic imaging? Or were you planning on using a virtual reality tool?" Aria asked. The other programmers looked back at her wide-eyed for her outburst. Aria slightly shrank back into her seat, realizing she had interrupted Kaiba's presentation.

"We will still be using the holographic technology," Kaiba answered, as if nothing untoward had happened. "I have a very basic outline of how we can read the duelist's image, and project it to the opponent."

Aria's mind was reeling. Not only was Kaiba totally revolutionizing the game of Duel Monsters, but this type of technology could change the world. They would be able to have holographic communications. The possibilities were endless.

"The timeline for this project is approximately three years," continued Kaiba, "so let's get started, shall we?" Kaiba began addressing each of the team members, assigning their individual roles. It was then that Aria noticed that Jim from the lab had also made the team. She hoped he would be at least one friendly face.

"Ito."

Aria slammed her eyes back to Kaiba.

"Since you are only with us for a short time, you will be taking the additional office behind me. Your job is to expand on the outline I have started for the hologram."

Aria's eyes bulged at being assigned such a daunting task.

Kaiba smirked. "I wouldn't have assigned it to you if I didn't think you could do it." His smirk fell. "Don't prove me wrong." He addressed the rest of the group. "I have sent the preliminary blueprints to each of you. Learn them like the back of your hand. We'll meet again tomorrow morning to talk about deadlines."

Aria nodded along with the everyone else.

"One more thing," Kaiba said. "You will also find an electronic agreement requiring your signature. Basically, it says that if you breathe a word of this project outside of this room, not only are you fired, but I will personally make sure that you never work as a programmer anywhere else in the world." He shot a dark glare around the room to ensure his point. "Now get to work."

Everyone quickly arose to head to their prospective offices. Aria had to force herself to leave with them, as it felt like her body had just turned to stone. She tried to walk naturally past Kaiba, so he wouldn't see how affected she was. But her limbs felt stiff and awkward.

As she approached her new office, she inwardly winced remembering that all the walls were see-through. There was nowhere for her to hide. Which, she surmised, was exactly why Kaiba had built this floor to be completely transparent. It made it harder to disguise dishonesty.

Upon entering, Aria did notice that her desk faced the centre room, whereas all the other offices, had their desks pressed against the far wall. Allowing anyone to see what was on their computer screens. This office was also slightly larger. Perplexed, Aria walked around and sat down in the office chair. All feelings of excitement of working on a new technological advancement were replaced with dread. No matter what she did now, she would never be able to become a software engineer. In the end, she was going to have to betray someone. The question was, who?

As Aria waited for her computer to boot up, she began searching through the drawers to familiarize herself. They were mostly empty, save for a few pens and stick-it notes. She paused at the bottom drawer. A name plate sat face down. Picking it up, she flipped it over and read the name. _Seto Kaiba – Lead Programmer_. Was Kaiba supposed to occupy this office? Aria refused to believe that he would do such a thing, especially after the way she treated him. But a small place in heart did believe it. He was a better man than she gave him credit for.

Just as Aria began reading through the blueprints, her phone buzzed. She wanted to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of her. She decided she would turn off her phone after checking. There was a message from a number that she didn't recognize. What she read made her heart stop beating altogether.

 _Congratulations on making the team. Can't wait to see your findings._

 **000**

With his speech finished, Kaiba stood at the front of the room, waiting for the team to disperse. He tried to keep his eyes from drifting to Aria, but even in his peripheral vision, he could see her posture was tight. He knew he had asked a lot of her, but he truly believed she could do it. Was she just lacking the confidence?

During the meeting, Kaiba had seen Aria's eyes light up in anticipation. To everyone else, this was just a job that came with prestige and a big bonus. But not to Aria. He could see the passion behind her questions. Kaiba knew because it was the same passion that flowed through his veins.

Kaiba did a mental huff. He wanted to go and reassure her but was afraid of how she would take it. But wouldn't it be good to appear cordial, to show that he didn't hate her after their altercation on Friday? Should he apologize? He gritted his teeth together for acting like such a prepubescent boy, arguing with himself over whether to talk to a girl. His mind made up, he went over to her office.

Throwing open the door, Aria startled at his entrance, dropping a phone that was in her hands. His eyes tightened at her jumpiness. Probably wasn't expecting him to just barge in, especially with how things ended last time between them. "I…wanted to come…and make sure…you were settled okay." Kaiba wanted to smack himself in the face. He wasn't as prepared to face her again as he thought. How could he handle a room full of corporate tycoons but could barely put together a sentence in front of Aria.

"It is a little overwhelming," Aria admitted, "but I'm sure I will adjust fine. I, uh…actually wanted to thank you."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow in question.

"For giving up your office for me." Aria held up his nameplate. "You didn't have to do that."

Kaiba clenched his hands. He had planned on her remaining unaware of that fact. Part of him said that it was totally logical for her to take his office for the brief time she was here. But the other part said that he did it for her, to do something…nice.

Unwilling to let Aria see that however, Kaiba merely shrugged. "It made sense. I'm only one floor away so it's not like your putting me out."

Aria only silently nodded, putting away the nameplate. "I actually wanted to apologize," she said softly, "for the things I said to you."

"It's forgotten," he said sharply. Then his voice calmed, just a little bit. "Let's just focus on moving forward."

Aria's eyes snapped to his, searching to see if there was a double meaning to his words. Kaiba gave no indicators, letting her come to her own conclusions.

"I just wanted to make sure that you are up to the task I assigned. I put you on it because I need someone who can look past limitations," he stated.

Aria's mouth quirked up at one corner. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. I won't let you down Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba hid his cringe at her use of Mister. He turned to leave and but not before throwing over his shoulder, "See that you don't." He exited her office and headed for the stairwell that would take him back up to his office.

Once he was behind closed doors and away from prying eyes, Kaiba finally felt like he could breathe. He thought things were going to be easier with Aria. If anything, the passion that simmered below the surface only seemed to have intensified. He was surprised by her apology. He would have thought that she would've avoided the topic all together, moved on like nothing had happened. Maybe there was some hope…

Kaiba ripped off his trench coat and threw it haphazardly onto his office chair, feeling suddenly warm. He stood, arms crossed, looking out onto the city. But he didn't see the view, instead his mind was swimming with thoughts on whether to act on Mokuba's advice. Did he dare approach Yugi for his help? Kaiba never went to anyone for help, he learned very early that he was the only person he could ever depend on.

Kaiba sighed. But getting Aria to change her mind towards him was not going to be easy. That girl was as headstrong as they came. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his willpower crumbling. _This girl better be worth it._

At exactly five o'clock, Kaiba left his office and went down to his limo. He told his driver to take him to Muto's game shop before he could change his mind. He knew if he didn't do it now, he never would.

Parking across the street, Kaiba debated on how best to approach Yugi. Although he was asking him for a favour, Kaiba wanted to make sure that he still had the upper hand.

Getting out, Kaiba leaned against his door, watching the shop, hoping that Yugi would exit. It would save him from having to go in and ask for him. He prayed that the rest of the nerd herd weren't in there with him.

Fate was on his side, for in just a few minutes Yugi exited the shop alone. Kaiba pushed off the car and crossed the street over to him. Yugi turned at his approach, both eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yugi, I need a word," Kaiba said when he had reached him.

"Uh…okay," Yugi said timidly.

"There's a café around the corner," was all Kaiba said before heading in that direction. Yugi dutifully followed.

Reaching the café, Kaiba took a seat inside, tucked away in a corner. He definitely did not want anyone eavesdropping on this conversation. Yugi took the chair opposite from him and then closed his eyes for about three seconds. When he opened them again, they were looking at Kaiba with a boldness that wasn't there before.

"What did you need to talk to me about Kaiba?" Yugi asked.

Kaiba was momentarily stunned by Yugi's change in demeanor. Just when a stray thought surfaced that this was the Pharaoh he was now talking to, Kaiba quickly flicked it away. He refused to believe in that supernatural nonsense.

"I've come to collect on a favour," Kaiba said.

"Oh? And what favour would that be?" Yugi replied.

"Let's face it," Kaiba said, "You wouldn't have been able to defeat Marik if I hadn't given you that card. Now its time to pay up."

Yugi chuckled. "I was actually referring to the favour you needed. Believe it or not Kaiba, I do consider you a friend, and would have given it to you free of charge."

Kaiba sneered. "You don't need to spout off your friendship drivel to me. I never owe anything to anyone."

"Very well, but it's your loss. Now, what can I do for you?"

Kaiba gritted his teeth knowing this was the hard part. Not only was he asking for help, but he was admitting to having feelings for Aria. Guess he might as well go all the way. "It concerns Aria."

Yugi perked up at the revelation, but then slowly relaxed back into his chair with a smirk on his face. "Why do I have a feeling that this isn't about her working for you."

Kaiba scowled at him. Yugi wasn't going to make this easy for him. "It is in part," Kaiba began, "It's because of that reason that she refuses to see me…socially."

Yugi's smirk grew. "I see. So where do I come in all of this?"

Kaiba crossed his arms and glared at him. "I need you to convince her otherwise."

Yugi also crossed his arms and looked thoughtfully back at Kaiba. "No."

"Excuse me?" Kaiba asked threateningly.

Yugi placed his arms on the table. "I've seen the way Aria acts around you Kaiba. I know how she feels about you. But I can't just interfere and make her change her mind. She needs to do that on her own."

"Well, then I guess this was a complete waste of my time," Kaiba spat. He stood to leave.

"However," Yugi continued, motioning for Kaiba to sit back down. Which he did, grudgingly. "I can offer some advice."

Kaiba sullenly stayed silent, waiting for Yugi to continue.

"What I suggest," Yugi said, "Is that you join us on some of our group outings. Aria might see you less as her boss, and more as a friend."

"You've got to be joking," Kaiba deadpanned. "I refuse to become a member of your geek squad."

"Friendship is often the first step into a relationship Kaiba," Yugi wisely stated. "And I think you'll also learn that the key to any relationship is compromise."

Kaiba snorted at Yugi's words. Even if there was some truth to them, Yugi didn't understand what he was asking of him.

"I'll send you a text the next time we all get together." Yugi rose to leave. "And bring Mokuba, it would be nice to see him too." He gave a single wave with two of his fingers and walked away.

Kaiba stared straight ahead, not acknowledging Yugi's departure. His mind was in turmoil, not believing what Yugi suggested he do. He still didn't understand how a girl like Aria was friends with the likes of them. But that was the whole point, wasn't it? They were _her_ friends. And hanging out with them would help him score some major points. Not to mention it gave him an excuse to see her outside of work. Maybe Yugi's advice wasn't so useless after all.

Kaiba rubbed a hand over his face. Dare he bring himself so low? He suppressed a shudder. But then a thought came to him. He shook his head in bewilderment. Yugi covered that base too by saying he should bring Mokuba. For whatever reason, Mokuba always seemed to get along well with the dweeb patrol, which gave Kaiba an in, while saving him some dignity.

Still…Kaiba never thought that he would willingly go hang out with a bunch of losers, save one. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

 **A/N: Thank you so much for such encouraging reviews! You have no idea how much that motivates me to write. I always try to post weekly, so as not to keep you in too much suspense. Until next time :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Aria dove into her work with a vengeance. Reading that ominous message made something snap inside of her. She knew of only one person who could have sent it. Riku. Her first response was fear. She had only been working with the team for less than an hour, and he already knew about it. How was that even possible? Was the Kaiba Corp building bugged? But that seemed very unlikely. Kaiba must have protocols to prevent that from happening. Which led to the conclusion that Riku must have someone else on the inside, besides her. And since the message was sent so readily, it was most likely one of the other six programmers. But if that was true, then why get her involved?

Aria was dumbfounded by the level of underhandedness her stepfather seemed to be executing. She didn't think he was capable enough to implement something so complex. It was with that thought that Aria knew she can't make the mistake of underestimating her stepfather. He was obviously willing to risk everything to ensure that this deal goes through.

Which led to Aria's second response. Anger. She was fed up with Riku meddling with her life like a doll in a playhouse. She knew she needed to break free from his control, once and for all. But how? With his threats dangling over her head, not only was her future at stake, but possibly people's lives as well. Who knew what Riku was capable of at this point.

Aria finished up her work late Monday night, then headed home, her thoughts still in turmoil on how she was going to beat her stepfather at his own game. When she walked through the front door, she could see light spilling out from underneath the study door. Part of her wanted to go charging in yelling and screaming at her stepfather to get out of her life and to leave her alone. But she knew in the end it would serve no purpose. So instead, she slowly climbed the stairs, feet dragging behind her.

Going into her room, Aria threw her bag onto her bed then went over to her desk to check her messages on her computer. She stopped when she saw a small white envelope sitting on the top of her closed laptop. She didn't trust anything that may have come from Riku. Feeling the package, something firm and thick was on the inside. Curious, Aria slowly opened it. Inside was a wad of bills. Her eyes widened at the amount, probably a couple thousand dollars. There was a note stuck to the inside. _For some support._

Renewed rage built up in Aria, she took the envelope and threw it across the room. Knowing that her stepfather was now entering her personal space, Aria knew it was time for her to get out and fast. But first she needed a plan. She began pacing around the room. She had no money and no where else to go. Not exactly a good start to going out on your own.

Aria's steps slowed, an idea forming in her head. She could go to Kaiba and share with him everything that is going on. Alone, Aria could do nothing but surely Kaiba was rich and powerful enough to protect Mokuba and his company? She let out a breath. It would be risky. If Riku ever got wind that she had told the very person of who he is trying to steal from…who knows what might happen.

But what other choice was there? If she did help carry out Riku's diabolical plans, her future would still be ruined, Kaiba would make sure of that. She'd much rather see Kaiba come out on top then her stepfather.

With her decision starting to firm up, Aria felt a little better. But now came the hard part. Approaching Riku and getting him to lay off. Otherwise, she couldn't go to Kaiba, not until it was safe to do so. She hoped Tea would be able to put her up for a few days.

 _You're stronger than you think._

Her mother's words echoing through her, Aria felt a new-found boldness begin to fill her up. Walking over to where she had thrown the money, she picked it up and started to head back downstairs to her stepfather's study. Not bothering to knock, she barged in, guns ready to start blazing.

Riku didn't look up from his memo, almost as if he were expecting her. Aria marched right up to his desk and threw the envelope of cash onto the surface. "I don't need your bribery," she said acidly, "and it's time we sorted out a few other things as well." She crossed her arms, waiting for his response.

Finishing a sentence that he was writing, Riku put down his pen and looked up at her. "And what is it we need to discuss?" he asked calmly. "The money was simply to reimburse you for any…expenses you might have incurred."

Aria's eyes narrowed. "I want nothing to do with your money. That's why by the end of the week, I'm moving out. I'm done living under your thumb."

Now Riku's eyes narrowed until they were mere slits. "You have nowhere to go and no money. I thought that you were smarter than this Aria." He stood up from his desk. "But you'll always be that same pathetic little girl," he spat. "You'll come crawling back, just like your mother did."

"What do you mean 'like my mother'?" asked Aria.

Riku gave her a sickening grin. "Let's just say she wasn't as perfect as you thought her to be."

Aria bristled at the slander of her mother, but Riku obviously wasn't going to elaborate further. "I just don't want to be receiving any more sinister messages and to make sure I'm no longer followed. You'll get the plans for the technology by the end of the summer." Aria prayed that Riku wouldn't call her bluff. "I want to make sure I'm no longer around when Kaiba finds out what happened."

With a calculating glare, Riku slumped into his chair. "Fine, but know this Aria, if you fail me, there will be consequences. You do not want to find out what those will be." He smirked. "I'll be watching."

Aria felt a cold chill travel up her spine at Riku's words. He probably wanted her to know that he had another insider at Kaiba Corp, hence the menacing message.

All Aria wanted to do was get out of that room as fast as possible. Without another word, she turned around and almost ran back up to her room. She had done it! She had stood up to her stepfather and she was getting out of this miserable house.

Reaching her room, she stopped to catch her breath. Her heart was palpitating and sweat was trickling down her neck, and it wasn't from climbing the stairs too fast. Her demeanor grew somber however, as she remembered Riku's words about her mother. She couldn't recall her mother ever leaving. What could Riku have meant?

Aria shook her head in abandon. She couldn't trust anything Riku said. For all she knew, he was just trying to mess around with her head, make her doubt herself.

At the prospect of leaving, Aria was elevated beyond measure. First though, she needed to contact Tea and see if she could give her a place to crash for a few days. She also might need to look for a part-time job in the evenings to help pay for expenses. There was no way she was going to Kaiba to ask to make her internship a paying one. He'd probably laugh and then throw her out on the street. She huffed at the obstacles ahead, but if there was one thing Aria loved, it was a challenge.

Her phone buzzed on her desk, grabbing Aria's attention. It was a text from Yugi. _Everyone is planning on meeting up this Wednesday at Bartini's for dinner._

Perfect! Aria could talk to Tea then about putting her up and maybe her friends would have some leads on a job. Aria texted back, _I'll be there!_

The next few days flew by in a blur. Aria only saw Kaiba once on Tuesday as he handed out their deadlines. She didn't know how she was going to handle another job as her current one kept her way past working hours. She may be brilliant at coding, but she didn't have near the years of experience as the other programmers.

By Wednesday night, Aria tried to get through her work as quickly as possible, so she could arrive a little early for pizza night with the gang. She just hoped Riku hadn't yet cut off her credit card.

Arriving by taxi (thank goodness her credit card worked, or that would have been awkward), Aria walked up the stone steps and into the pizzeria. Immediately smells of fresh baked dough and pizza filled her senses. This place definitely had the best pizza in all of Domino City. Unfortunately, it also made the place extremely busy. And as Aria looked around the cramped space, it didn't look like there was going to be a free table tonight.

Walking past a lineup of people, Aria went up to Luigi who was playing host tonight. "How long is the wait for a table of four Luigi?" she asked.

"Oh, Miss Aria," Luigi said in his thick Italian accent, "your friend Yugi called ahead and made reservations for a table of six."

 _Six?_ Aria thought confusedly, _who else could be joining them tonight?_ "Oh, ok," she answered awkwardly, following Luigi to the back where an empty table sat. Taking a seat, Aria couldn't help but smile at the memory of being here last time. She had felt so surprised at seeing Kaiba, she swore she could feel his eyes shoot icy daggers into her back.

"Hey, you beat us here for once!"

Coming back to reality, Aria looked up at Joey's greeting. He was followed by Yugi, Tea and Tristan. Aria moved over into the middle seat to make room. "Did you guys walk here together?" she asked.

"Yup, we all met up after work," replied Joey, grabbing one of the chairs beside her.

"Lucky you got here early to get us a table," said Tristan.

"Actually," began Aria, "Yugi called ahead and reserved a table for six."

"Eh?" said Joey, turning to Yugi, "Why'd you do that?"

"Well…" began Yugi apprehensively, "I invited a couple of friends to join us."

"That's nice Yug," said Tea, smiling reassuringly. "Who'd you invite?"

"Well…"

"Oh look," said Joey derisively, "here comes rich boy. I thought you already told him off Aria. Is he still followin' you?"

Aria stared, paralyzed. She could not believe this was happening again. Then the pieces fell together. "Yugi…" she said rebukingly, giving him a hard stare.

Yugi squirmed in his seat. "Technically, it was the Pharaoh who invited him," he defended.

But before anyone could protest further, Kaiba and Mokuba had approached the table.

"Oh, look Mokuba, nerdfest, we must be at the right place," Kaiba said, grabbing a seat beside Aria. His arm brushed against hers for a second, sending currents of electricity racing up. She tried to hide her reaction but didn't know if she succeeded.

Ignoring Kaiba's quip, Aria looked at Mokuba. "How you doin' Moki?"

"I'm great! Thanks for inviting us out! The pizza is absolutely the bomb here."

"You can say that again!" interjected Joey.

"Wasn't there a 'no dogs allowed' sign out front?" Kaiba asked mockingly.

"Watch it moneybags," Joey replied with a sneer. But it was soon replaced with a smirk. Throwing his arm around Aria's shoulders, Joey leaned in and said loudly enough for Kaiba to hear, "How do you work for someone who's so stuck up?"

Aria elbowed Joey in the ribs, resulting in him removing his arm. Aria saw what he was trying to do. She peeked over at Kaiba beside her to see if it was working. Kaiba looked as stoic as ever, arms crossed looking the other way. A tiny smile played on Aria's lips. Finally, a server came over to take their order before any more shots could be fired.

"Are things any better at home for you?" Tea asked Aria. That brought Kaiba's attention back.

Aria wished she didn't have to talk about this with her boss right beside her, but she guessed he was going to find out sooner or later anyway. She gave a half shrug, "Yes and no, I haven't decided yet."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I kind of told my stepfather off on Monday and said I was moving out."

"Woah, you did that Ari?" Joey asked impressed, "But where you gonna go?"

"That's where I was hoping you guys could help me out. Not only do I need a place to stay for the summer, but I also need a part-time job in the evenings since Riku is cutting me off."

"Actually, you're in luck," Tea said with a sly smile. "It just so happens that me, Joey and Tristan just rented out an apartment together. It's only a three bedroom, but you could crash on the couch since it would only be for a few weeks."

"Are you sure?" asked Aria tentatively.

"Of course!" Joey said in support. "What are friends for?"

Kaiba snorted. "If you call sleeping on a moldy couch for three weeks friendship."

Aria nudged him with her shoulder. "Lighten up. You're here with us, so that makes you a part of the geek squad. At least for tonight."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Never. I'm only here because Mokuba was invited."

"Sure you are Kaiba," Joey said snickering.

Kaiba glared over at him. "Got something to say Wheeler?"

Joey smirked back. "Nah, you're saying enough on your own."

Aria shot him a look to keep his big mouth shut. Fortunately, their food arrived before anything more could be said. The rest of the meal went by uneventfully. With Mokuba's effortless chatter, the conversation flowed easily, with Kaiba mostly sitting quietly to himself.

When the bills were delivered, Aria handed her credit card to the server who carried a portable machine. Swiping it, the machine let out a deep buzz. The server shook her head. "I'm sorry Miss, but I'm afraid your credit card has been declined."

Aria's face blanched. But before she could even offer up apologies, Kaiba had his card already shoved at the server. "Put hers on mine," he ordered.

The server nodded and took his card.

Aria crossed her arms at Kaiba. "You know I can't accept that."

"Pay it back in your layers of coding," he replied.

Aria let out a huff but didn't press the issue.

With everyone having paid their bill, they all got up to head outside. "When do you guys move into your new apartment?" Aria asked Tea.

"This Friday," Tea replied. "You might as well move in on the same day."

"You have no idea how much this means to me," Aria said gratefully. "It'll be like having my own life again."

Tea smiled in understanding. "How are you getting home by the way?"

"I'll just walk, it's a beautiful night to be out."

"Let us walk ya Ari," Joey piped in, "It's too late for you to be out by yourself."

"But it's in the totally opposite direction," responded Aria. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Kaiba let out an annoyed sigh. "You know I have a limo sitting right here. Mutts aren't allowed though," he said, shooting a glare over at Joey.

"You've done enough," said Aria. She didn't know if she could handle being alone with Kaiba again. "I'm stuck in an office all day and could really use the fresh air."

Kaiba walked over to his driver and said through the passenger window. "Take Mokuba home then swing back around and get me at the Ito residence." Mokuba raised his eyebrows at his brother but said nothing as he waved goodbye to everyone and got into the limo. After it had driven away, Kaiba walked back over to Aria. "Shall we?"

 **000**

Kaiba could tell Aria was not happy, but he couldn't tell if it was because she didn't want to be around him or because of his highhandedness. He hoped it was the latter.

She gave him an icy glare but said nothing as she walked over to her friends to say goodbye, albeit grudgingly. Kaiba stood to the side waiting for her. He could see that dog Wheeler ask if she was okay walking home alone with Kaiba. He was starting to get annoyed with Joey's interference. It had been bad enough having to watch him drape himself all over Aria.

Kaiba saw Aria shake her head then wave goodbye as she walked away. "Let's go," she said, walking straight past him and down the street. With his long legs, it took him about three long strides to catch up with her.

Kaiba put both hands in his pockets and matched his gait to Aria's. Now that he had gotten her alone, he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He was never one for small talk. "How do you like the new office floor?" Immediately after asking, he inwardly kicked himself. Asking about work would only remind her that he was her boss. The one thing apparently keeping her from seeing him.

"It's fine," Aria replied, "but I find the whole glass-thing a little too much."

"People work more productively when they know someone could be watching."

"Then why is your office also transparent?" she asked.

Kaiba smirked. "Because if they know that I'm watching, then they really work hard."

Aria rolled her eyes. "They must be loving the reprieve."

Kaiba chuckled and kept walking. He found it so refreshing to be able to be relaxed around Aria. He could actually act like…himself. Maybe Mokuba was right.

Turning down a street, Kaiba glanced over at Aria. Her beauty still took his breath away. The streetlights above brought out the shine in her ebony hair. Although he could tell she was nervous by how hard she was gripping her purse, but she still walked with her head held high. Kaiba smiled at her resilience. But then he frowned. "How is it that someone like you ended up with that group of dweebs?"

"Someone like me?" she asked amusedly. "I'm honoured to be their friends. They have been through so many incredible adventures together. I'm sorry to have missed it all."

"Just don't tell me you believe in all that Egyptian nonsense."

Aria tried to suppress a smile by biting her lower lip, but she failed.

"Figures," was all Kaiba muttered in response.

After walking for a few more minutes in silence, Kaiba turned back to Aria. "Isn't it your turn to ask me a question?"

Aria looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. "Is this supposed to be a game of twenty questions?"

"Call it whatever you like, it's better than walking in silence the whole way." In truth, Kaiba enjoyed the silence with Aria. It was comfortable but he wanted her to talk, to learn more about her. He also hoped it would make her more comfortable around him, allowing her to let down some of her guards.

"Okay, then," Aria said hesitantly, "Why did you come out tonight?"

"I already said why."

"Please," Aria said, "the little brother excuse, really?"

Kaiba went thoughtful. What was he supposed to say? The reason he came out was because of her. Surely she knew this. "Although I barely tolerate the nerd herd, I do consider you a…friend. And so does Mokuba."

"Is that what you want to be then, friends?" Aria asked doubtfully.

Kaiba gave a one shoulder shrug. "For now, or at least until the end of the summer." He had the audacity to wink at her.

Aria blushed prettily and quickly looked down at the street.

"I believe it's my turn to ask a question," Kaiba said. Aria said nothing, just nodded with her head still down.

Kaiba grew serious. "Why didn't you come to me when you needed a paying job?"

Aria's head snapped back up. Her eyes flashed to a dark emerald. "I wasn't interested in your pity money, I'm still not. I'm a big girl and can solve my own problems." She flipped back her hair in defiance. "I'm tired of having to depend on wealthy men for provision."

Kaiba hid his smirk. He loved that she had enough pride to not go grovelling to someone at the first sign of trouble. No, this woman had the strength to tackle her problems head on. But if he was going to offer to pay her for her internship, he was going to have to tread carefully.

"Look," he said, adding a little sharper tone to his words, "I get you want to be little Miss Independent, but not if it's going to cost me on your quality of work. I'd rather pay you then having you come in the next day exhausted because you were working all night."

Aria gritted her teeth. Kaiba could see that she knew he was right. But she still wasn't conceding. He sighed out loud at her stubbornness. "I'll even pay you a pittance of what I normally give my programmers. Deal?"

This time Aria let out a sigh. "Deal," she said defeatedly.

Kaiba smiled at his victory but it was short-lived as he saw that they were now walking through Aria's neighbourhood.

"Maybe we should stop here," Aria said. "I don't need my stepfather asking questions about who I'm with."

"I'm curious to know what you would tell him if he asked," Kaiba said with a smirk.

Aria shot him a bemused look. "I would tell him that some arrogant prat wanted to walk me home, and I had no choice but to say yes."

Kaiba took a step forward, just so he was on the fringes of her personal space. "You forgot the part about enjoying his company, despite being an arrogant prat."

"I don't know if I would go that far," she said breathlessly.

Kaiba could feel the electricity thrumming between them, almost as if it was trying to pull them together. It was difficult for him to take a step back, snapping the tension in half. But when he saw the flash of disappointment in her eyes, a feeling of euphoria soared in his chest.

It was at that moment that Kaiba's limo pulled up behind him.

"Thank you for walking me home," Aria mumbled.

"What are friends for?" Kaiba said with a knowing smirk. He turned to open the limo door. "Until next time." Then he flashed her his signature arrogant smirk and got in. Leaving her exasperated on the sidewalk.

The whole drive home, Kaiba couldn't stop thinking about how well the evening went. Aria had not completely closed off herself to him, which meant that Kaiba had an opening in which to go through. Now that they were established as "friends", it should be easier for him to spend more time with her. _I love it when I win!_ Kaiba couldn't help but think smugly to himself.

 **Woohoo! Another chapter! Enjoy :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Friday night could not have come any faster for Aria. Fortunately, she worked late into the night, so she didn't have to worry too much about running into Riku. It seemed almost too good to be true that he would let her go without a fight, so she was constantly walking on egg shells waiting for him to renounce his promise.

Aria left work on Friday at a reasonable time and headed home to grab her things before heading over to her temporary apartment. She didn't have much, mostly just clothes and a few keepsakes of her mother's. When she had gathered up all of her stuff from her room, she headed downstairs where her taxi was waiting. Kaiba had advanced her first paycheck. She grumbled about it at first, but now she was glad she actually had some cash on her for once.

It seemed funny that all of her paychecks had to come in the form of bills, but because Riku controlled her bank accounts and she was still considered a minor, Aria couldn't open one of her own.

She paused in the foyer, looking over at Riku's study where the door was slightly ajar. Aria knew he didn't care if she said goodbye or not, but his words about her mother crawling back still rang in her head. She might never see him again after today, did she demand an explanation from him now about it?

Aria let out a breath, irritated that Riku could still keep some kind of hold on her. So what if he had said some disparagement about her mother? She knew her mother was an upstanding women, was she going to let the words of a man who despised them change that? Aria tightened her grip on her bags then continued walking out the door, not once looking back.

Putting her luggage in the trunk of the taxi, Aria kept her focus on the yellow car. Climbing into the backseat, she couldn't relax until the driver pulled away, leaving behind the house that she had shared with Riku for the past five years. _Shared_ even felt like too liberal of a word. Survived seemed more fitting.

Pulling up in front of a dingy looking three-story apartment complex, Aria raised her eyebrows at what her friends had rented. The evening sun cast a burning glow onto dirty windows and overfilled trash bins. The building was located just on the outskirts of the downtown core. By no means was the area considered part of the slums, but it was a huge step below from where Aria came from.

Having paid the cabbie, Aria grabbed her bags out of the trunk and walked up the cement walkway to the front doors. Looking for unit 8 on the intercom, Aria hit the button to buzz up. A short honk buzzed back at her indicating the door was unlocked. Aria rolled her eyes, making a note to talk to Joey about finding out who was at the door first before letting them up.

Entering into a dimly lit hallway, Aria looked around for a stairwell. There was no way this place was going to have an elevator. Spying one a little further down, Aria shuffled her load on her shoulders and was just thankful that she only had to climb up one flight of steps.

Reaching the second floor, the first door on Aria's left bore the number eight, or what was left of the number eight. It seemed the brass number had actually fallen off, leaving only the faded outline underneath. Laughing inwardly at the place her friends had gotten into, Aria gave two quick knocks on the door. In a few moments, she heard muffled footsteps approach the door.

There was a slight pause and then the door was quickly swung wide to reveal a beaming Tea. "You made it!" she exclaimed, stepping aside.

"Fortunately I wasn't mugged on my way up here," Aria responded teasingly, walking into the living room.

Tea laughed. "I know, it does seem a little rough, but I'm just glad we found something affordable. Three bedroom apartments are scarce in this town."

Aria dumped her bags in a heap on the floor, happy to be rid of the heavy load. Taking in the apartment, Aria saw that a galley kitchen sat to the left while the living and dining room combination were on her right. A hallway went down behind the kitchen where Aria assumed were the bedrooms and bathroom. She gave a small shudder. "I don't know how we are going to survive sharing a bathroom with those two boys."

Tea was about to respond when Joey and Yugi walked into the living room.

"Whaddya mean with two boys? Tristan and I are very clean thank you very much," said Joey indignantly.

Aria and Tea shared a look in disbelief and then burst into a fit of giggles.

Joey scowled at them and then headed into the kitchen, grumbling something about having to live with two girls for the summer.

Once their giggles were under control Aria asked about how the move went.

"It went pretty well actually," answered Tea. "Yugi here was definitely a big help."

Yugi flushed under Tea's praise, ducking his head to try and hide his discomfort. "It was nothing."

Aria smiled at Yugi's abashment but her posture switched to a more offensive one when she remembered there was another "Yugi" who owed her some answers. Aria put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Yugi, who was growing even more redder in the face.

Tea swiveled her head back and forth between the two of them. Sensing the sudden change in atmosphere she started to back slowly out of the living room. "I think I'll continue unpacking my room." Turning around she headed into one end of the kitchen and came out of the other pushing Joey whose arms were laden with food.

"Hey, I wasn't done!" he protested as Tea continued pushing him from behind.

"You need to stop eating all our food!" Tea yelled back. "We're going to go broke just trying to keep you fed!"

Their bickering continued down the hall until two doors could be heard being closed. Aria's eyes never left Yugi's face, while he was trying to look anywhere but at her. When he finally made eye contact, Aria wordlessly nudged her head toward the couch.

Stiffy sitting down, Aria waited for Yugi to join her before speaking. "I think you know what this is about," Aria began when Yugi had settled down beside her, albeit reluctantly. Aria's gaze softened. "But since you said it wasn't you who had invited Kaiba that night, maybe I should talk to the person who was responsible." She nodded towards the millennium puzzle that hung around Yugi's neck.

Yugi gave a small smile. "Better him than me," he said, then shut his eyes to let his "other" self come forth.

It never got old for Aria, watching Yugi transform from a shy timid boy, to a confident proud man. Looking into Pharaoh's violet eyes, it was like Aria could see the thousands of years of wisdom trapped behind them, waiting to be unlocked. She thought of Kaiba's eyes, and how they reeked of overconfidence, but there was an intelligence to them that sharpened the blueness of them to steel. Aria had to give herself a mental shake to get her mind back on the task at hand.

Pharaoh gave Aria that knowing smile of his. She glared back unimpressed. "What was it you needed to talk to me about Aria?" he asked, faking innocence.

"You know very well what," she answered hotly. She threw her hands up in the air. "Why is it that everyone keeps throwing Kaiba in my direction? Aren't you guys supposed to be archenemies?"

Pharaoh did a deep chuckle. "Actually, I believe Ishizu said Kaiba and I were friends back in ancient Egypt."

"Well we know Kaiba doesn't believe in any of that, so it's a moot point." Aria sighed and leaned back into the couch. "Seriously Pharaoh, why did you invite Kaiba that night? How did you know he would even come?"

Pharaoh grew serious and gave Aria a calculating look. Then a small smile played on his lips. "It's simple really. I knew Kaiba would come that night because he approached me first."

"Approached you?" she asked incredulously. "Why did he do that?"

"He needed some…advice."

"Advice," Aria said disbelievingly. "Kaiba doesn't go to people for advice. Especially the rival that has defeated him multiple times."

Pharaoh smiled at that. "Which is why his actions are much more profound. Despite Kaiba's feelings towards me, he still reached out to me in order to get closer to you."

Aria had to let those words settle first before she could comprehend their meaning. Kaiba is trying to get closer to her? She knew that Kaiba had developed some level of feeling towards her, but she figured it was more of a passing fancy. He saw a pretty girl that piqued his interest. She didn't think it went any deeper than that. Was Kaiba more emotionally involved with her then he was letting on?

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked quietly. "I doubt Kaiba would appreciate you sharing this information."

"I know," Pharaoh replied. "But I think it was necessary that you see how serious his intentions are." He crossed his arms in amusement. "Kaiba isn't exactly known to care for others outside of his brother."

Aria was speechless. She knew she harboured some feelings towards Kaiba, that she found him attractive. But after everything that has happened; working for him, the blackmail, she hadn't allowed them to grow, she always had to keep them at arms length. Would that change when he knew about the blackmail? When summer ended? She didn't know. But she did know that the spark that had sprung between them was growing. And Aria couldn't help but feel a warmth inside her at the thought of Kaiba going to Yugi for her.

"So what now?" asked Aria. "Is this the part where you convince me to go out with him?"

Pharaoh smiled and shook his head. "No, I told Kaiba you needed to make that decision yourself."

Aria groaned, covering her eyes with her arm, she fell back onto the couch. "Why are relationships always so complicated," she whined.

"Because love is always worth it."

 **000**

The Pharaoh's words rang in Aria's mind all weekend. She didn't know if she was falling in love with Kaiba, but she could see the potential to. It would seem so easy to just give in and let herself fall. But Aria knew that before she could even think about a relationship with Kaiba, she first needed to talk to him about the threat to his new project.

Which posed a problem. How was she to get Kaiba alone and ensure that no unwanted ears overheard their conversation? She was going to have to think outside of the box.

When Monday rolled back around, Aria had figured out a way to pass a note off to Kaiba, asking for him to meet with her. Now she just needed to figure out which of the other programmers was working for Riku.

Starting work early had its perks. Aria was up and out the door before anyone else in the apartment had even stirred. At least she didn't have to worry about fighting for bathroom time with three other roommates.

Aria was relieved to find that she was the first of the programmers to arrive. Besides Jim, Aria did not know any of their names. Walking along each side of the room, she started reading the names off the doors and committing them to memory. _Hiro Yama, Tenzin Cray, Jim Roberts, Daniel Lawson, Gin Saito, Takeo Hara_.

Looking through the glass walls, the interior of all the offices were pristine and tidy. No body had left anything out of place. Aria was going to have to keep an eye out to see if there was any unusual behaviour.

Heading back to her office, Aria sat down at her computer, ready to dive in to her assignment. The hologram program was proving to be very challenging. Aria always loved a challenge, but for once she doubted her abilities in being able to complete the task. She had too much pride to go to Kaiba for help, and if she went to one of the other programmers, it would only prove to them that a young female couldn't handle the workload. It looked like she was on her own.

Time flew by as Aria typed out coding. She almost missed Kaiba walking onto the floor, doing his daily rounds. She kept her eyes on him as he strutted around the room, looking into each of the offices. Everyone was busy at work and so did not disturb them. When he finally turned towards her office, his gaze got caught in hers. Aria hoped that he got the signal to come in.

Sure enough, he walked over and entered through the glass door.

"Was there something you needed Ar-Miss Ito?"

Aria smiled at his near slip. It was unlike Kaiba to be caught off guard. "Yes actually," she said, getting up while grabbing a white folder from off her desk. "I had some files here I was hoping you could go over for me." She stood in front of him with the folder between them.

Kaiba was looking at her quizzically, probably wondering why she was handing him a physical copy of her work, when almost everything was sent electronically. She stared at him, pleading with her eyes for him to accept the folder. He seemed to have gotten the message, since he took it from her hands.

"Very well, but let's skip out on the paper trail next time Ito, save the trees and all that."

"I didn't think you were one to care about the welfare of our forests," Aria couldn't help but tease.

Kaiba's mouth turned up at one corner. "I think you'll find I'm a man with many interests Miss Ito."

He had said this so directly to her, that Aria couldn't help but feel a blush creep up her neck.

Kaiba smirked at her reaction. "I'll be sure to look at this right away," Kaiba said, waving the folder. And with that he left her office and headed back to the stairwell.

When he was completely out of sight, Aria let out a breath. No matter how many times she came into contact with that man, she was never able to keep her body under control. Her heart raced and her temperature always seemed to sky rocket. Kaiba on the other hand, was always composed and appeared totally unaffected by her. But if Pharaoh was right (and he usually always was) then Kaiba felt more for her than he let show.

Aria wondered if he'll feel the same way after their meeting.

 **000**

Kaiba sat alone in a tiny little café that was tucked away on the other side of the city. When he had taken the office folder Aria had given him and opened it up in the privacy of his office, he was surprised to find that there were actual blueprints of the hologram program she was working on. Leafing through the pages, he discovered a sticky note stuck to one of the papers in the middle of the pile. It said simply that she needed to talk to him and when and where to meet.

To say Kaiba had been puzzled by Aria's behaviour was a gross understatement. He couldn't figure out why she was acting so secretly. If she had only wanted to tell him off again, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to get him alone. Plus, her behaviour in her office wasn't dark or angry, it had actually seemed the opposite. She had _teased_ him. No body ever dared enter into such playful banter with the humorless Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba smiled as he stirred his earl grey. The blush on her cheeks was a nice touch as well.

When a person entered through the front door of the café, Kaiba instinctively glanced over, seeing a head of black hair. But seeing that they wore it in a 60's beehive style, with big bug-eyed glasses, Kaiba knew it couldn't have been her. That is, until she sauntered over to his table and sat across from him.

Kaiba had to blink a few times to clear his vision, for he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Not only did the woman wear her hair in the 60's style, but she also wore a 60's style blouse with long sleeves that flared out at the cuffs. "You know Ito, when I said you should wear something more you, I don't think this is what I had in mind."

"Shh! Don't use my name here," she chided.

Kaiba looked around the empty café. "Because of all the people who might be listening in?" Kaiba could detect Aria rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses.

"This is serious," she said. "I really need to talk to you and I didn't know where would be safe."

"Safe?" Kaiba asked skeptically, it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Spill it Ito, what's with all of the secrecy?"

Aria nibbled at her lower lip. "Is there somewhere less public we could go?"

Kaiba sighed in annoyance. "My car is parked around the corner, we can go in there."

Aria shook her head. "I don't trust your limo, you use it too often, it could be bugged."

"Although I highly doubt that, I actually drove myself here." Kaiba rose from his seat, throwing a few bills onto the table. "Let's go," he said briskly, striding towards the door.

Aria jogged to catch up with him. Once outside, they walked side by side down the sidewalk. "So I'm guessing you brought a multi-million dollar sports car of some sort?" Aria snorted. "How very inconspicuous of you."

"Believe me Ito, there is nothing more conspicuous than that ridiculous outfit that you're wearing," Kaiba said dryly. "And I parked in an underground garage, so it wouldn't be noticed."

"Hmph," was all Aria said in reply. Kaiba smiled at her refusal to admit when he was in the right.

Entering into the parking garage, they took the stairs down one level, where Kaiba's car was parked in away in a dark corner. Kaiba hit a button on his key fob and both doors of the car lifted up, like the trunk.

Kaiba heard Aria mumble something that sounded like "figures", but she climbed into the passenger side without complaint. Getting into the drivers seat, Kaiba started the car, put it into gear and drove out of the parking garage. "You know, you didn't have to go to such lengths to get me alone," Kaiba said with a smirk.

Aria shot him an unamused look. Taking off her sunglasses, Kaiba saw out of the corner of his eye that her eyes were downcast, her face solemn.

"Tell me what's going on Aria," Kaiba said sobering. "What are you so afraid to tell me that others might hear?"

There was a few moments of silence when Aria finally spoke. "There's an insider at Kaiba Corp who is trying to steal the plans for the online duel monsters project."

Kaiba took a moment to process this information. "And?"

Aria turned to him wide eyed. "What do you mean 'and'?" she exclaimed. "Shouldn't that be at least a little alarming to you?"

Kaiba gave a one shoulder shrug. "Every once in awhile someone tries to steal our technology." He gave her a smug look. "They haven't succeeded yet."

"Doesn't mean that one day they won't," she answered heavily.

"What I want to know, is who this insider is and how you know about it," said Kaiba warily.

More silence. "Because I'm one of them," came the soft reply.

Kaiba stared straight ahead, focusing in on his driving; steering, shifting gears. His knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. He tried to stop his mind from jumping to conclusions but he couldn't help but think that their whole…"relationship" was based on a lie. That Aria had played him for a fool. He took in a deep breath to keep his anger from boiling over. "You better start explaining yourself Ito, if you don't want to be dumped onto the side of the road."

And so she did. Aria explained everything, from her stepfather blackmailing her on the night of the carnival to the ominous message she received so soon after joining the team, and that that was when she knew there had to be someone else feeding information to her stepfather. When she finished, Kaiba sat silently.

"You said that there was no way your stepfather could be doing this on his own. Any idea who he could be working with?"

"Not a clue," answered Aria. "It has to be one of your competitors though. Who else would be able to manufacture such an advanced technology?"

"There are a few," said Kaiba evenly, "I'll have to look into further to see if there are any leads."

Aria nodded silently.

"What made you come to me?" asked Kaiba curiously.

Aria shrugged and looked down at her hands in her lap. "To be honest, I knew I was trapped either way. If I did what my stepfather wanted, then you would have come after me and my life would've been ruined anyway. At least this way, I can stop Riku. There's nothing I would hate more then seeing him come out on top." She said these last words with a bitter edge.

"I should probably take you home now," Kaiba said suddenly. He made a turn and started to head towards her apartment. The streetlights were beginning to come on as the sun had just set. Both were silent, lost in each other's thoughts.

Too soon, Kaiba pulled up in front of the apartment complex. He glanced up at the building. "I understand Wheeler living in a place like this, but how can you stand it? I'd be afraid of catching fleas."

Aria gave a small smile. "Because it's home," she stated simply.

"Aria," Kaiba said, turning to her in his seat. "I need you to do me a favour and pretend that you never told me about this."

Aria stared at him in bewilderment.

"Hear me out," Kaiba said, holding up a hand before she could speak. "If I want to catch the person who is behind this, and not just the rogue programmer, but the mastermind behind it all, then I need you to help me draw him out."

Aria opened her mouth as if to protest, but then she shut it and sighed, acceding to his wishes. "And I'll try my best to keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour."

"I'd appreciate that."

Aria gave a sad smile and moved to open the door. "Thanks for the ride, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Aria," Kaiba said, touching her arm to stop her from leaving. She stood still, hand still on the door latch. "Is this why you said no to me at the park? Because of your stepfather's threats?" At first he didn't think she was going to answer.

"Mostly," came Aria's reply with a sly grin.

Kaiba huffed and crossed his arms. "Not the whole boss thing again."

Aria laughed. "It is a bit of an obstacle."

"A minor one that I will get around," Kaiba said, flashing an arrogant smirk.

Aria laughed again. "I look forward to seeing you try." With that she got out of the car and let herself in through the entry doors.

Kaiba watched her go, a smirk still planted on his face. The wheels were already turning in his mind, now he just needed to implement it.

 **A/N: I'm back! So sorry about that little hiatus, I'm going to try really hard to get back to more frequent updates. Just know that I have every intention of finishing this story. I won't leave you high and dry. Loving all the reviews! And I can't believe the number of follows and favourites! Until next time :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Kaiba went into work the next day with a zeal. After his drive with Aria, Kaiba's pursuit of her had been renewed with a fervor. He would show her that there are ways around their working relationship. He just needed the right moment. But there was something, or someone, Kaiba needed to look into first.

There was nothing Kaiba hated more than a disloyal employee. He knew he wasn't a kind-hearted boss by any means, but he paid them well and expected them to act accordingly. Aria said it had to be one of the other six programmers, that at least gave him a place to start.

Kaiba hit the intercom on office phone to page his secretary. "Susan, send Rowland in."

"Right away sir," came the curt reply.

About five minutes later, Rowland walked in, black suit and shades as was his customary look. "How can I be of service sir?"

"We have a breach in our company," explained Kaiba. "Someone is trying to steal highly classified plans. I need you to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of the six programmers on the Special Development team. The snitch is most likely one of them."

"I'll leave no stone unturned," Rowland said with a bow. He deftly turned around and left the room.

Now Kaiba had his own research to commence. Turning to his computer, he began investigating his competing counterparts. There were only three other companies in the world who were in direct competition with Kaiba Corp, and who could also produce the same level of technology. Kaiba had always kept a close eye on them, not willing to ever let them get the advantage on Kaiba Corp.

Kaiba pulled up the three companies' websites. Maxilect was a Russian company that specialized in video game technology. Kaiba noted that they had dabbled in Duel Monsters, but nothing compared to Kaiba Corp. The second company was Inflexion, a software company located in Dubai. They cranked out high-tech programs for Fortune 500 companies, but as far as Kaiba knew, they had never done business with Industrial Illusions. That left the third company, Schroeder Corp.

Kaiba didn't know too much about Schroeder Corp, a German technology company. The CEO liked to stay out of the spotlight. Kaiba didn't think he's even met the man. The name Schroeder did ring something in Kaiba's memory, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

Kaiba leaned back in his chair and contemplated the information before him. Although there have been a few attempts in the past of stealing Kaiba Corp technology, usually it was someone working alone, trying to make a quick dollar by selling it to one of Kaiba's competitors. They never made it very far. But Kaiba has never known one of his competitors to try and personally steal his intellectual property. Was this person working alone then? But then who could be working with Aria's stepfather so that he could use such powerful threats against her?

Kaiba gritted his teeth in anger towards Riku Ito. If he ever got his hands on the man, Kaiba would make sure that he personally paid for all the undue hardship and neglect he caused Aria over the years. A small chuckle escaped as Kaiba realized his protectiveness over the young woman. He could just see Mokuba squealing with glee.

Kaiba's mood turned somber again as thoughts of what Riku could be planning surfaced. Even if Aria's stepfather did get a hold of Kaiba Corp's latest plans, Fenrir Inc was at way too low of a standard to be able to do anything with them. They are simply too small of a company to be able to handle a project of this magnitude.

Kaiba stroked his chin as a new theory began to form in his mind. He knew that Riku had promised someone very powerful that he would get them Kaiba Corp's latest blueprints. But what was he getting in return? Kaiba remembered Aria mentioning that it seemed that Fenrir would be promised the contract for the software. But what if it was something more personal? Something only Riku would benefit from? He would have to discuss it with Aria later.

Thinking of Aria led Kaiba to remember his "plan" for this week. He hadn't been joking when he said he would show her a way around their boss-employee relationship. And he hoped to put it into action by the end of the week. With a smug look plastered on his face at the thought of spending time alone with Aria, his bushy haired little brother decided to enter his office unannounced.

Kaiba quickly cleared his throat, while making his face impassive so as not to betray his previous thoughts. Turning back to his computer, Kaiba tried to look like he had been busy all along.

"You don't have to play charades with me Seto," said Mokuba as he approached his desk. "Ever since Aria arrived, you have been way more distracted. Some might even say…enamoured," he said teasingly.

Kaiba snorted as he continued typing away on his keyboard. "Hardly," was all he said in reply, when deep down he knew there was some truth to Mokuba's words. But he was never going to admit that to him.

"Are we doing anything this week?" asked Mokuba. "I thought maybe the three of us could go out Friday."

Kaiba ignored Mokuba's obvious mention of the "three" of them. "I can't this week, I have…plans."

Mokuba arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh," he said in understanding. "You have 'plans'" he said using air quotes.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. He was not going to let Mokuba in on what he was planning with Aria. Funny how he didn't remember little brothers being this annoying. Or nosy. "Just because school is out Mokuba, doesn't mean you get to loiter around all day. Don't you have some activities planned or something?"

Mokuba laughed. "You are the worst at keeping tabs on me. I'm off to a soccer practice now actually, I just came to ask if you were okay if I slept over at a friends house tonight."

"I pay people to keep tabs on you, and yes that's fine."

Mokuba shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'll see you around big brother." Mokuba left with a wave of his hand.

Finally, able to relax, Kaiba rubbed his eyes in fatigue after the encounter with his brother. Mokuba was too insightful for his own good. Or maybe he just had too much insight into _him_. Kaiba was glad his little brother liked Aria, but he was treading in new waters here. If he was honest with himself, he didn't know what it looked like to have a _girlfriend_ part of their family. It had just been the two of them for so long.

But Aria was not his girlfriend, at least not yet. And although Kaiba wanted her to be, this summer was to be solely about spending cordial time together. He wasn't even going to call them 'dates'. Kaiba liked the idea more and more of keeping their relationship simple. It gave him time to get used to the idea of having someone around who meant more than just a friend to him.

Kaiba looked at the time and saw that it was just past one o'clock. He rose from his chair to head down to the level below him. It was time to implement part one of his plan.

 **000**

Aria also went into work with a zeal the next day. Not only did she want to catch the man who was leaking information outside of Kaiba Corp, but she felt buoyed by the fact that Kaiba now knew everything. And he didn't hate her! Aria had been deathly afraid of Kaiba's reaction to her past dishonesty, but she saw something in Kaiba yesterday that she didn't think he possessed; compassion. Compassion that she had been forced into her situation by her stepfather and that she didn't want to betray Kaiba Corp.

As Aria rode the elevator alone to her floor, she could feel a goofy grin plastered on her face. As the doors opened however, she smoothed her features, not wanting to draw attention to herself from her fellow colleagues. Aria wanted to remain as inconspicuous as possible so that she could observe them unnoticed.

Walking out onto the floor, Aria headed straight for her office. Not even daring to look at the other offices. She would do her snooping later, when she could make it less obvious.

After working for a few hours on her assignments, Aria saw that everyone was seated in their offices. Seeming like it was a good time to survey the other programmers, Aria got up from her desk, and started to head for the kitchenette/copy room that was directly across from the stairwell. She grabbed a folder that was full of "files" that needed copying.

Starting down the left side of the room, once Aria had reached the middle, she pretended to trip on one of the office chairs that was sitting at the board room table. She let her folder slip out of her hand and her papers went everywhere. She stood still for a moment, allowing herself to first look frustrated, then she bent down to begin picking up the papers.

The three offices on the left side of the room, starting at her office, contained Hiro, Daniel and Jim. She was grateful their backs were facing her so she didn't have to worry about being caught staring. Hiro she noticed sat pretty still as he worked, occasionally twirling a pen around his fingers as he pondered. Then as if a thought had suddenly struck him would type furiously for a few minutes before stopping and going back to his pacified demeanor.

Daniel was a little more agitated. He constantly chewed on the end of his pen as he typed. Aria espied a few that were broken on his desk. But otherwise he seemed engrossed in his work.

The last office was Jim. Although having spoken to him briefly down on the 10th floor, Aria had not had another chance to speak to him. Jim sat very serenely with his hands on his keyboard, typing and pausing as he studied his work. She couldn't perceive any other odd behaviours from him.

Thinking she had spent enough time on the floor, Aria quickly gathered up the rest of her papers and continued on to the copy room. She proceeded to copy all of her files and then headed back into the board room.

Aria again walked up the left side of the room, for she feared it would look odd if she walked up the right side since it was a farther route. But instead of going up to her office, Aria took a seat at the center table in order to spread out and "organize" her papers. And by sitting on the left side of the table she would face the opposite side of the room, allowing her a full view of the other three offices.

To her left was Takeo's office. At first he was as unassuming as the other workers, until he picked up his phone hurriedly, talked quickly in what sounded like Japanese, then hung up just as fast. She made note of it in the back of her mind.

The middle office contained Gin. Aria couldn't believe how close his face was pressed up against his computer screen. She thought that his nose must surely be squished against it. And yet he had his fingers on the keyboard, typing away like his life depended on it.

The last office was Tenzin's. He sat perfectly ramrod straight in his chair as he worked. The only thing out of place was that his leg seemed to have a nervous tic to it, as it was constantly hopping up and down.

Finished with her paperwork, Aria gathered them up and returned to her office. She was disappointed that her scrutinizing hadn't revealed anything concrete, but at least she had laid some kind of foundation as to her co-workers habits. It was better than nothing.

After working for another half an hour, Kaiba entered into the room. Aria couldn't help but follow him with her eyes as he crossed the room to the front of the table. With the secret of the blackmail now out in the open, Kaiba appeared more determined than ever to pursue her, despite him being her boss. If anything, that fact seemed to make him rise even more to the challenge. The thought made Aria's heart sigh in contentment.

A ding on Aria's computer made her tear her eyes away from the subject of her reverie. Kaiba had sent out a general message to all of the programmers. Short and simple it read, _Group meeting. Now._ Aria would have to talk to him one of these days about his people skills.

Not wanting to upset their boss, all of the programmers immediately left their work to convene at the communal table. Aria took a seat at the far end. She didn't want anyone having any ideas as to her feelings towards their boss. Not only to quiet any company gossip, but the consequences could be catastrophic if the insider got wind of it. Who knows what he would do with that type of information?

After everyone was seated, Kaiba immediately went in to the coming week's deadlines. Talking to each of the programmers, Kaiba would listen to their progress and then talk with them about the next steps and when he needed it done by. Lastly, it was Aria's turn.

"Ito," Kaiba asked, "How are the seven layers coming for the hologram program?"

Aria hesitated. It was coming along, just not as quickly as she would have liked. "Slowly," she admitted, "I hope to have the final three layers done by late next week."

"You have until Monday," came his curt reply.

Aria's eyes bulged. That was less than a week away! Aria wanted to protest but she feared looking foolish in front of the other programmers. But more importantly, she feared disappointing Kaiba.

Kaiba dismissed them and exited the room via the stairwell. Aria sat for a few moments trying to collect her bearings. She was definitely confused as to why Kaiba would give her such a tight deadline, especially after their drive yesterday. But shouldn't she be glad that he wasn't giving her any preferential treatment?

Aria steeled herself. Just because her and Kaiba's relationship seemed to have gone up a step, did not mean that she got a 'get out of jail free' card. It just meant that she was going to have to work some late nights this week. Some _very_ late nights.

 **000**

For the rest of the week, Aria would stay as late as 10 p.m., trying to make sure that she would be able to meet her deadline by Monday. Her colleagues didn't seem to be under the same pressure, as everyone else would be gone by 7 o'clock.

Even Joey started to complain about her working such late nights. When she came home Thursday late for the third night in a row, Joey keeping his opinions to himself any longer. "I understand if ya gotta pull a few late nighters every now and then, but to do it for a whole week is just too far!" he said angrily. "I may have vouched for the rich boy once, but he is taking way too much advantage of you."

Aria pleaded with Joey that he wouldn't do anything rash like stomping off to go run his mouth at Kaiba. She assured Joey that it was just this one deadline and that she was still trying to get into the swing of things. Fortunately Joey seemed to back off after that.

Although Aria didn't appreciate Joey's indignation, she couldn't help but feel the truth in his words. Was Kaiba taking advantage of their relationship? She thought he would be working towards drawing each other closer, not pushing her away. These thoughts once again made Aria doubt the kind of man Kaiba really was. Did he care about her? Or did he care more about his company? And she hated to admit that she had been expecting another attempt at him courting her but was disappointed when each day he never sought her out. Could she be any more pathetic?

Friday started the same as any other work day for Aria. Except she had decided to go in an hour early so that she could get off early in order to avoid Joey's wrath. Kaiba came down during the day to do his customary sweep of the floor. Aria tried to ignore him as she was extremely busy and couldn't afford the distraction. She couldn't help though watching him from the corner of her eye when it seemed like he had finished and was ready to head back up to his own office. She saw him pause. Aria wondered if he was thinking of coming over to talk to her. He apparently decided not as he abruptly turned away and headed back through the stairwell.

Aria let out a breath of frustration but she tried to shake off the feeling of bitterness that was settling into her stomach. It was her own fault for getting involved with a multi-billion dollar playboy anyway.

The hours flew by for Aria and too soon the sun was beginning to set in the window behind her though she hardly noticed it. When movement caught her eye, Aria looked up to see Tenzin turning off the light in his office and heading out towards the elevators. He was the last programmer to leave for the night. When Aria looked at her clock, it read 6:30. Blowing out some hair from her eyes, Aria hunkered down to get done as much of the final layer as she could. She had hoped to spend Monday making sure all seven layers worked perfectly together.

Becoming so engrossed in her work, Aria didn't notice someone standing in her office, until they cleared their throat. Looking up she gasped to see Kaiba standing with his arms crossed, smirking down at her.

"Burning the midnight oil are we?" he asked.

She looked at her clock, it read 7 p.m. "Hardly," she said, failing to keep the annoyance completely out of her voice.

"Are you hungry?"

Aria looked back up at him quizzically. "Starving but I still have a lot of work to do." She went back to working on her computer, hoping that he would get the hint that she was not in the mood for his games.

Instead of responding, Kaiba simply turned on his heel and left the room. She watched him go, albeit sadly. Maybe she hadn't wanted him to take the hint that strongly. Sighing in dejection, she went back to work, too tired to analyze what just happened.

Fifteen minutes later, the smell of fried food wafted through the air. Lifting her head up from her screen, Aria saw Kaiba put two big bags of what looked like Chinese takeout onto the board room table. Did he just bring her dinner? Curiosity getting the better of her, Aria got up to join him.

Standing beside Kaiba, Aria's eyes widened at the amount of food laid out on the table. There were spring rolls, egg rolls, chow mein, sweet and sour pork, stir fry and what looked like to be three different sauces. Reaching out to open a closed box, she found her favourite Chinese dish; fried wontons. Her stomach growled in anticipation. "How did you get so much food so fast?" she asked incredulously.

Kaiba gave her a wry smile. "You aren't the only one who has had to work late nights. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for occasions such as this." He handed Aria a paper plate, which she immediately took and started to fill up with food. Kaiba smiled at her eagerness.

Sitting down in one of the chairs, Aria bit into a fried wonton and let out a moan of pleasure. She really hadn't realized how hungry she was. While she ate, Kaiba took off his trench coat, draping it over one of the other chairs. Rolling up his dress sleeves to his elbows, he took the seat two down from Aria, but then propped his feet up on the chair between them. He grabbed a box of chow mein and started digging in with chopsticks.

Aria couldn't help but appraise Kaiba as he ate. She always thought he looked a little on the skinny side underneath the trench coat, but with it off and his shirtsleeves rolled up, she found his forearms to be quite...muscular.

Kaiba looked up and caught her staring. He smirked. "Like what you see Ito?"

Aria felt her face go warm and quickly looked down to hide her blush. "I was just thinking that I don't think I've ever seen you this relaxed before."

Kaiba gave a dry chuckle. "You are one of few people who I can be relaxed around."

With a sad smile, Aria realized that Kaiba didn't have many people who he was close to. She wouldn't be surprised if Mokuba was the only other person. Trying to turn the conversation to a lighter topic she asked, "So, do you always bring dinner to your employees late at night?"

"Only the ones that are starving themselves," he said with admonish.

"Well my boss gave me a very tight deadline, and he was going to have my head if I didn't meet it," Aria retorted wryly. Then it dawned on her. "Please don't tell me that you gave me that deadline so you could get me alone here," she said in disbelief. "Surely there was a better way."

"I don't know what your talking about Ito," Kaiba replied, feigning innocence. "I simply didn't want our new intern to feel undervalued."

Aria snorted. "You know Joey was ready to come and tear you a new one because of all the late nights I was working."

"Wheeler is all bark and no bite."

A laugh escaped her. "You really don't let up on the dog jokes do you?"

"I call it as I see it."

Aria rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at Kaiba's bluntness.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Kaiba spoke again. "I'm sorry if I pushed you a little hard this week," he said quietly, not looking up from his chow mein. "Part of me wanted to help you push your limits, to show you what you're capable of." He looked up at her. "But I think it was mostly selfishness, as I wanted to spend time with you."

Aria was speechless. She never thought she would hear a speech like that one ever come out of Kaiba's mouth. She swallowed, trying to find the right words to say back. "That means a lot...to me," she stammered. She nervously tried to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear but it failed to stay in place. Kaiba took his legs off the chair and moved to sit in it. He leaned forward and tucked back the same strand of hair so that it stayed. Aria's breath caught in her throat at his closeness.

Looking into his pale blue eyes, Aria knew she had fallen in love. And it was with that thought that made her sit back. It was because of her love for him that made her wait. She knew nothing would be able to work between them until the whole business with her stepfather was over and when she was no longer his employee. _Just one more month._

"I think it might be time for me to go home," she said softly. She started to gather up their plates and utensils. Kaiba grabbed her hand to stop her. She slowly met his gaze.

"You are more than just an employee," he said, his gaze unwavering. "Never forget that."

Aria nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. Kaiba let go of her hand and Aria felt a pang of sadness at the lost of contact. She looked back at the table. "What are we supposed to do with all of these leftovers?"

"Take it home to the mutt." He shot her a grin. "I'll even give you a doggy bag."

Aria gave him a reprimanding look, but inwardly was glad to be back on familiar ground with him. She looked back at her office and sighed. "I don't think I'm getting any more work done tonight." She gathered up the bags of food. "I guess I'll see you Monday then." What she really wanted to do was ask him if he had any plans over the weekend. But that would be crossing over into "dating" territory, so she held her tongue.

Kaiba came to stand mere inches in front of her. Aria was sure she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Was he going to kiss her?

"I'll drive you home," he said, reaching to grab the bags of leftovers from her hands.

"What? No limo again?" Aria asked.

"After our last drive, I found I really missed driving my own car around."

"Not just trying to impress the girl are you?" she teased.

Kaiba smirked. "I don't need the fancy car to impress the girl." He leaned in a little more until his mouth was almost against her ear. "Because I already have."

 **A/N: Finally another chapter! I just wanted to make a quick side note at the mention of Sigfried Schroeder. Since I've basically already gone off canon, I thought I would throw him in there. Just a quick reminder that this story takes place after Battle City, so Kaiba hasn't actually met him yet (unless you count the time when they were kids). Thank you for your patience. Review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The ride home with Kaiba was eerily silent. Aria felt like she needed to say something, just for the sake of conversation but she knew Kaiba was not one for small talk. It did allow her however, to reflect on the night's events. It looked like her and Kaiba just had their first date, even though they had agreed not to use that word. This however was definitely different then the other times they had been out together. The carnival or the pizzeria were outings with other people. But tonight it had just been them, having dinner and talking. Who knew having take out in an office could be so charming?

A small smile played at Aria's lips as she remembered Kaiba's arrogant behaviour. Standing close, whispering in her ear, his cocky words. The man had so much confidence and ego, she's surprised his head hadn't exploded yet. But it was incredibly attractive, not that she would ever admit that to him.

Lost in her thoughts, Aria realized they had turned down her street. Kaiba's car looked terribly out of place, sitting in front of the run-down apartment. Aria had to bite down on her lip to stifle a giggle. "You bought me dinner and drove me home. Do you treat all your employees this way?" she asked dryly.

"I only drive home the ones who live in derelict neighbourhoods. So, needless to say, you're the only one."

Aria laughed, for it was probably true that she was the only Kaiba Corp employee who would live in such a poor area. "I had fun tonight, even if it did cause me to get behind on my work."

"I think I can extend your deadline by one more day." Kaiba smirked at her. "Especially since I was the one that _distracted_ you."

Aria could hear the underlying meaning in how he said 'distracted' and couldn't help but feel herself flush at his words. "I appreciate that." Grabbing the Chinese food, she opened her door. "See you Monday then, _Mr._ Kaiba." Kaiba responded by scowling at her. She grinned broadly, glad she was able to get back at him for his outlandish flirting. She gave him a quick wink then ducked out of the car.

Bounding up the front steps, Aria let herself in, giving Kaiba a quick wave before heading inside. The grin never left her face as she climbed the stairs to her apartment. Unlocking the door with her key, Aria swept in, humming to herself as she went into the kitchen to drop off the leftovers. When she came back out, she was stopped abruptly by Joey standing in the living room, arms crossed in annoyance.

"What's got you in such a chipper mood?" he asked. "You glad Kaiba let you out half an hour early tonight?"

Aria huffed at him. "What I do with my time after hours is completely up to me. Not you or Kaiba has any say in that. Are we clear?" She gave him a look that dared him to refute her.

Joey rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Geez Aria, I didn't mean to come off as controlling, I just care about ya, you know?"

Aria's anger deflated out of her. She never could stay mad at Joey, especially when he turned his big puppy-dog eyes on her. "I know you care Joey, and I do appreciate it, but you have to trust me to handle things, okay?" She went over and gave him a mock punch in the shoulder. "When's Serenity back from her mom's? Apparently you need a little sister to always be watching over."

Joey chuckled. "I know, the big brother intuition just never seems to shut off."

"Hey, do I smell food in here?" Tea walked into the living room, her nose in the air trying to sniff out the source of the aroma.

"Oh yeah, I brought back Chinese." Aria said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the kitchen.

"Food! Why didn't you say so!" Joey exclaimed. He rushed into the kitchen, leaving Tea and Aria shaking their heads at his over-enthusiasm.

"You did bring it over for everyone to share with, right?" Tea asked.

"Hey, Tristan!" Joey yelled up the hallway. "Aria brought home takeout!"

Aria laughed. "Yes, there is way more there than I could ever eat. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it was all gone by the time the boys were done with it."

"Why the splurge on food?" Tea asked. "I thought you were saving every penny for college this fall."

Aria went a little pink in the face. "Well, someone actually brought it to me at the office, since I was working so late."

Tea looked confused. "But who would-oh!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with both hands. "Was it Kaiba?" she whispered, not wanting the boys to overhear in the kitchen.

Aria bit her lip and silently nodded.

"Eeek!" squealed Tea as she ran over and hugged Aria. "He bought you dinner! Was tonight your first date? Did he kiss you?"

"Heh? What's with all the screamin' over here? And who kissed Aria?" Joey entered from the kitchen, followed by Tristan, both with their plates piled high.

Aria groaned. "No one kissed me."

"But apparently there was a possibility," chimed in Tristan.

Aria shot him a glare, hoping he would get the message to keep his big mouth shut.

"Is that where all this food came from? You were on a date?" Joey asked, his mouth half full.

"It wasn't a date, I was hungry from working late so Kaiba-" Aria immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to slip his name.

"Oh ho!" Tristan hollered. "So it was Kaiba! I was wondering when he was going to make his next move," he said with a smirk.

"You mean to tell me," Joey interjected, "that he's been making you work all these late nights, so he could get you alone for a date?"

Aria wanted to argue that that wasn't the case, but it certainly looked that way. And Kaiba himself admitted to having not-so-selfless reasons for giving her a tight deadline. But isn't she the one who refuses to see him outright? Thus forcing him to resort to conniving methods? "It's a little more complicated than that," she hedged.

"Well I for one am happy that he's made his move," Tea defended. "It's about time someone softened that hard shell of pride and ego. This has been a long time coming if you ask me."

Aria smiled at her friend, glad to have at least some support. "The point is," she stated firmly, "is that how I spend my time with Kaiba is none of anyone's business. He is still my boss after all."

"Well I'll be willing to overlook a few of his flaws as long as he keeps sending Aria home with food," Joey said between mouthfuls.

Aria raised a condescending eyebrow at him. "Good to know how much my happiness is worth to you." But she didn't think Joey heard her over his incessant chewing.

"Do you have any plans with him for the weekend?" Tea asked whimsically. Her eyes shimmered with notions of romantic daydreams.

"No," said Aria, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. She thought she was happy with the current arrangement her and Kaiba had, but now she was beginning to realize there were bothersome limitations. How much she wished she could just call him up and see if he was free tomorrow. She snorted inwardly to herself. She didn't even have his phone number.

The weekend passed by amicably well. Yugi came over in the evenings to either watch a movie or play video games with Joey and Tristan. A couple of times it seemed Yugi was going to ask Aria something, but always ended up changing his mind. Aria wondered if Pharaoh and him were having conflicting thoughts. She couldn't even imagine having a second voice in her head all the time.

Aria was actually happy to go back to work on Monday. She couldn't believe how much she missed seeing Kaiba over the weekend. At least at work, she got to see glimpses of him everyday, even if they never talk.

Walking in early Monday morning, Aria was surprised to see Jim sitting in his office working away. Usually she was the only one to arrive early. All the other offices remained untouched. Entering her office, she started unloading her bag, getting everything set up for another long day. Her hand brushed against a stray piece of paper, and it fluttered to the ground. Picking it up, she saw something written on one side. Flipping it over, she read the neat script.

Aria's face grew white as it felt like all the blood had drained from it. She shakily sat down in her chair, no longer able to stand. Who could've possibly wrote this to her?

"Ito, I need to talk to you."

 **000**

Kaiba drove himself crazy all weekend thinking about Aria. He would try to distract himself at work during the day and then in the evenings passed his time with Mokuba. Even his good-natured little brother was getting annoyed with Kaiba's distracted attitude. "Why don't you just call her already!" his brother had said vexedly. The problem was, he did want to call her, but he didn't have her number. It crossed his mind several times to go to her apartment, but his pride wouldn't allow the geek squad the satisfaction of seeing him groveling to Aria.

Overall, all of these thoughts were incredibly infuriating. A Kaiba never pined for anything, let alone a woman. He just couldn't remember the last time he actually enjoyed having dinner with someone. And it all took place in an office over Chinese takeout.

Monday morning had Kaiba out the door bright and early. Usually he was early to work anyway, but today had a different reason than just wanting to get a head start on his day. Arriving at 7 a.m., he forced himself sit and work for an hour before heading down to the lower level. He knew Aria came in early but he wasn't sure exactly how early.

The second the clock read 8 a.m., Kaiba was up and out to the stairwell. He knew he was acting like a pubescent teenager, but for the moment he didn't care. All he knew was that he needed to see her.

Coming out of the stairwell, Kaiba looked across the room and could see Aria in her office. He had no idea what his reason was going to be for seeing her, he was just going to have to figure that out on the fly. As he walked towards her, he saw her bend down to pick something up off the floor. Not bothering to knock (it was kind of moot point anyway), Kaiba simply strutted in. "Ito, I need to talk to you." Subtlety never was his style.

But what Kaiba saw made him stop in his tracks. Aria had sat down in her office chair, and her face looked pale, almost ghastly. She clutched in her hand a small piece of paper. After a moment, she realized he had spoken to her and snapped out of her trance. Aria crumpled the piece of paper in her hand before standing.

"Mr. Kaiba, sorry, I was...preoccupied."

Kaiba couldn't remember the last time she addressed him as "Mr" so seriously. It made him scrutinize her more closely. He didn't see any of the usual signs of nervousness or anxiety. In fact, Aria looked entirely still, too still. One thing Kaiba learned, was that when Aria was under stress, she fidgeted. Then he looked into her eyes, and he found the emotion she was trying to conceal. Fear.

"I need a progress report on the seven layers," he said staunchly. "Bring it up to my office within the hour." It took every ounce of strength he had to turn around and leave Aria standing there in that state. He knew something was terribly wrong, and it had something to do with that scrap of paper.

Sitting back in his office, Kaiba waited for Aria to appear. But he soon grew restless sitting and decided to stand looking out onto the city. After about 15 minutes, he heard the door open and close. He didn't move, nor did he tear his gaze away from the view in front of him. He felt more than saw Aria's presence as she came to stand beside him. Both were silent as they watched Domino City move with life below them.

"What happened down there Aria?" Kaiba asked. He heard her take in a deep breath before answering.

"I found a note on my desk this morning." Aria held up a piece of wrinkled paper to Kaiba, which he wordlessly took.

Kaiba smoothed out the paper and read the contents. _Time is running out. How much is your future worth to you?_ Kaiba's hand clenched around the paper in anger. Angry that someone like this could infiltrate his company. And that they would threaten a young girl into doing their dirty work. A girl that he happened to care about very much.

"I'm scared Seto, I don't know what to do."

Hearing his name broke Kaiba from his thoughts. Looking down at Aria he saw tears beginning to stream down her face. Cursing himself for only thinking of his own feelings, Kaiba grabbed Aria and pulled her close, not caring about their arrangement. He wrapped his arms around her while she buried her face in his shoulder. "I will find out who did this," he said fiercely. "Believe me, they will regret this."

Aria sniffled and then stepped out of his embrace. Walking over to a coffee table, she grabbed a tissue to dry her eyes with. "How are we supposed to find this person?" she asked. "He is right under our very noses and yet completely hidden!" She stomped her foot in frustration.

"Was anyone else in before you?" Kaiba asked.

Aria nodded. "Jim was."

Kaiba continued looking out the window, lost in thought. "It doesn't prove anything, but it may be a start."

"Have you looked into the other programmers?" Aria asked.

"Yes, but so far nothing has turned up."

"Are there surveillance cameras? Would you be able to see who put the note on my desk?"

Again Kaiba responded in the negative. "It's illegal for me to do so. Hence why I installed the glass walls. Kind of a self-made surveillance."

Aria sighed dejectedly and sat on one of the couches. "I tried watching them for a few minutes one day, but other then a few bad habits, all they did was work diligently." She sat forward with her elbows on her knees. "I'm in way over my head."

Kaiba strode over from the window and sat beside her on the couch. Laying his arm behind her on the headrest, he used he other hand to tip up her chin so that he could look into her emerald eyes. "You're safe with me. Do you understand?"

"But are you safe? Is Mokuba safe? How far is this guy willing to go for some blueprints?" she said in anguish.

"I don't know," Kaiba said honestly. "But we won't give him the satisfaction of scaring us into submission. You're strong Aria. And I will be right here beside you."

Aria's eyes swam with tears as she gave him a shaky smile. "Okay," she said, with a little more compulsion.

"That's my girl," Kaiba said with a smirk. Then he once again pulled her into his arms.

 **000**

Going back downstairs was extremely difficult for Aria. How badly she wanted to stay in the safety of Kaiba's office, and his arms. She knew the line between boss and boyfriend had just become incredibly blurry, but after reading that note and feeling an icy cold fear fill her body, she had trouble caring about the consequences.

This insider had just made a move against her. He obviously didn't believe that Aria was going to go through with stealing the plans. Which made her think about if he was also aware that she had told Kaiba everything. And it didn't help that she had just spent 20 minutes upstairs in his office immediately after reading the note.

Walking back onto the floor, Aria's first impulse was to run straight to her office and hide. But she couldn't pass up the opportunity to see if anyone would be watching her as she walked by. Aria hoped to catch the insider in a mistake.

Measuring her steps, Aria slowly made her way to the back of the room. Everyone seemed, as usual, engrossed in their work. Other than Tenzin's leg bouncing up and down erratically, everything looked business as usual.

Aria balled her hands into fists, frustrated that the one person they were trying to find, was sitting right in front of her. She took a deep breath as she sank down into her seat, feeling like this whole situation was just one big mess. How did her stepfather even find this person? Money? And where did she come in in all of this? So many questions with no answers. The rogue programmer was right when he wrote that time was running out. Knowing that she couldn't do anything more now, Aria tried to refocus her mind back on her assignment for she still had a deadline to meet the next day.

While she worked, Aria always tried to maintain a constant eye on the offices. Her efforts always came across as futile. Who would conduct conspicuous behaviour on a floor with glass walls, and her sitting right at the front to see it all? It was very unlikely but she still held out hope that she would see something incriminating.

It was then that Aria saw Jim get up from his desk and head over to the elevators. Aria couldn't recall a single instance of Jim ever leaving his office in the middle of the day. Acting on impulse, Aria dashed out of her seat and tried to half walk and half jog to the elevators without appearing hurried.

"Hold the doors!" she called, slipping through at the last second. Jim gave Aria a wary look but didn't comment. Aria hit the button for the lobby floor, noticing that the button for the 10th floor was also pressed.

"Not still doing work for Langley are you?" Aria tried to ask casually.

"No," was all Jim said in reply. When the doors opened on the 10th level, Jim exited without a backward glance. Interest piqued, Aria quickly hit the button for the 9th floor. Jumping out when the doors opened again, she went to the stairwell and ran up the flight of stairs. Poking her head out, she saw the hallway to the programming lab was deserted. Lightly walking, Aria tiptoed to the lab. Pressed up against the wall, she shuffled over until she was beside the viewing window. Peeking through, she tried to catch a glimpse of Langley's desk. Coming into view, she saw that it was empty.

Her face fell, wondering where they could have gone. Continuing past the computer lab, Aria searched for any doors they might have entered. The sound of muffled voices reached her ears. Coming upon an intersection, Aria peered around the corner. Gasping she quickly threw herself back, afraid she had been spotted. When the voices continued unperturbed, she chanced another look. What she saw was Jim and Langley talking, or maybe conspiring was the better word. Aria couldn't figure out why they would be having a conversation, let alone down a deserted hallway.

Langley said a few last words to Jim who gave a curt nod before walking back up the hallway. Realizing that she was about to be caught, Aria turned around and sprinted back the way she came, not caring if the programmers in the lab saw a blur going flying past the window. Slamming into the stairwell, Aria grabbed at the door before it could bang shut. Once closed, Aria ran down about three flights before she finally stopped to catch her breath. Sweat covered her brow and her heart was racing at about a million beats per second. From adrenaline or fear she wasn't sure.

After a few minutes, Aria began to feel her heartbeat return to a normal rhythm. Able to think coherently again, her mind tried to piece together what she just witnessed. Jim apparently had gone for a meeting with Langley. That in itself wasn't a big red flag, but the fact that they had their conversation away from listening ears was.

Aria's breath hitched as a thought occurred to her. Was Langley the real insider working for her stepfather? Was he just using Jim to get closer to the plans? Aria's head began to hurt at how convoluted this whole thing seemed to be getting. She should probably inform Kaiba, he would want to know of his employees conducting secret rendezvous in his building.

Aria pressed her body against the cold wall, letting it cool down her overheated skin. She knew Langley was a sexist blockhead, but was he really capable of betraying the company he worked for? Aria always thought his disdain for her came from simply being a woman, but maybe he knew her stepfather was also using her to steal Kaiba's technology and didn't want her stealing his glory. It all seemed to fit, but she would need more concrete proof before she could point fingers.

"How do I get myself into these things?" she mused out loud to herself.

 **A/N: Success! A quicker update! We should be in the homestretch now. I'm hoping this story will end up being 20-25 chapters long. Enjoy!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Aria was worried. After discovering Jim and Langley together, she couldn't help but think that they were planning to steal the blueprints soon. But she couldn't watch both of them at the same time. Especially since it might tip off Jim that she was on to him. Ideally, she should be going straight to Kaiba to tell him what she had witnessed. At least he would be able to implement some measures that would keep Langley in his crosshairs. However, Aria didn't want to look foolish running to Kaiba in hysterics, telling him he needed to apprehend Jim and Langley immediately. He'd probably laugh in her face.

Although it was certainly suspicious to see two people have a private conversation in a secluded hallway, it was by no means concrete evidence. And Aria still had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she could be wrong about Langley. She found it difficult picturing him as a criminal mastermind. But she could definitely see him being the lackey of one. He certainly knew how to suck up to Kaiba.

So when Aria finally left the stairwell, she went back to her desk instead of up to Kaiba's office. Staring at her screen, she found it difficult to muster up the motivation to finish the seven-layer program she had worked so hard on. What was the point when it might end up in someone else's hands? Aria no longer felt she was working to help complete the next biggest advancement in duel monsters. Instead, it felt like she was helping some selfish thief exploit a technology that he had no hand in making. The mere thought made Aria's anger rise. She knew she couldn't sit back and do nothing. Not when she had the knowledge that could possibly prevent the plans from being stolen.

A thought came to Aria. Maybe she could set up a meeting with Kaiba. That way she would look much more rational and not so accusatorial. She picked up the phone to page Kaiba's secretary. Was it presumptuous of her to ask for a meeting with the CEO? Probably. But at the moment Aria didn't care. When the secretary's cool collected voice came over the receiver, Aria suddenly realized how curious this action may seem. "Hi Mrs. Davidson, it's Aria Ito."

"Oh hello Miss Ito, what can I help you with?"

Aria licked her dry lips. "I was just wondering if Mr. Kaiba was available today for a quick meeting."

"I'm sorry Miss Ito but Mr. Kaiba just left on a business affair and won't be back till late tomorrow."

"Oh," Aria said, "I'll try to catch him another time then."

"I'll let him know you're looking for him," she replied sweetly.

After hanging up the phone, Aria wondered if the secretary knew more than she was letting on. Did everyone in the office know that her relationship with the President wasn't entirely platonic? Aria humphed at having failed to keep their interactions underwraps. So much for not appearing involved with her boss during her internship. At least it seemed his secretary didn't have a problem with it.

Frustrated and relieved at the same time, Aria resolved herself to completing her assignment. At least tomorrow she could use the excuse of needing to see Kaiba to go over her final draft. Aria couldn't help put pause at the thought of how they're going to now act around each other after their last encounter. Aria knew that ever since telling him about the blackmail, an invisible wall had been removed between them, allowing them to drift closer. But she wasn't expecting things to move this fast.

Aria inwardly cringed, knowing that she was partly to blame for becoming so close with Kaiba. She had gone to him frightened and vulnerable. She wouldn't be surprised if it was mostly out of pity that he embraced her. She probably looked like a lost little puppy, having no one to turn to. But the even greater offense was how much she accepted his embrace. Having had no emotional connection with her stepfather for the past five years, receiving a simple hug of comfort was like a deer panting for water.

Aria didn't know how to define what her and Kaiba were anymore. Through this whole ordeal, they had created a connection. She just didn't know how strong it was or if it would last. But she knew she couldn't focus on that now. As much as Aria wanted to know what she was to Kaiba, if anything, finding the threat against herself and Kaiba Corp was the higher priority.

Aria worked another late night, finally finishing her seven-layer project. She felt immense pride in her work, almost not believing that she was helping create a technological phenomenon. She would dedicate tomorrow to going over it with a fine comb to make sure there were no errors or discrepancies.

Fortunately Joey didn't say anything when Aria walked through the door after ten p.m. It seemed the Chinese food had pacified him for the time being.

Aria went into work the next morning feeling like a nervous wreck. It didn't help that she had trouble sleeping through the night. Constant dreams about approaching Kaiba with her finished assignment, only to have him laugh in her face and tell her she had to completely redo it in one day plagued her. But the real nightmare began when she had to wake up and go in for work. What if there was another threat? What if the insider went beyond just a handwritten note? And this time Kaiba wouldn't be around to save her. Aria did however remember Kaiba's words of not letting the insider intimidate her. And so she walked onto the 29th floor, head held high, trying to appear as calm as ever, even if she felt completely far from it. Hiro and Daniel sat in their offices, but Jim was nowhere in sight. Aria didn't know if she should have felt relief or worry at his absence.

Opening the door, Aria hesitated at the threshold of her office. Looking quickly around first to see if anything was out place, she went and sat down behind her desk. Knowing she couldn't act the scaredy-cat forever, she pushed aside her anxiety and got to work.

The day passed uneventfully. Aria kept an eye on Jim the whole day but he hardly left his office except to run to the kitchenette for more coffee.

Aria stayed late into the evening, waiting until the last programmer had left for the night. Tenzin was the last to leave at 6:30. Aria waited an additional half an hour before leaving to go up to Kaiba's office. She wasn't entirely sure he would be there, but if he was gone from the office for an extended period, Aria knew the probability would be high that Kaiba would be up there playing catch up.

Taking the stairs, Aria took her time, feeling antsy at the thought of going to Kaiba's office unannounced and uninvited. No wonder he was seen as the most ruthless CEO in all of Domino City. Entering the board room, it was eerily silent, appearing as if everyone had gone home for the night. Approaching Kaiba's door, Aria slowly peeked in. Finding his secretary absent, Aria breathed in relief. At least she wouldn't have to explain to anyone why she was creeping around the president's office late in the evening.

As Aria walked the length of the room, she began to hear what sounded like music notes from Kaiba's office. It was then she saw that the door had been left open a crack, allowing a stream of light to shine through. By the time she had reached the door, the music had become more clearer, revealing the soft tune of a piano. Aria pressed her eye against the crack in the door, for she had to see if it was who she thought was playing so beautifully.

Even though she half expected it, Aria almost let out a gasp when her eye focused in on the white grand piano. She watched in awe as Kaiba played a slow, almost melancholy piece. His eyes closed, she could see that he was totally lost in the melody of the notes.

Aria leaned into the door, hoping to get a better view, when the door slid open a few inches with a loud creak. Kaiba immediately stopped playing, his eyes snapping open and focusing on the door. Knowing she had been spotted, Aria slowly opened the door all the way. "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to spy on you."

Kaiba's shoulders visibly relaxed. He stared down at the piano but didn't continue playing.

"Would you play a little more?" Aria asked, coming to stand from across the piano. "It was very beautiful."

Kaiba stared at her, his face void of expression as always. "Sit," he said.

Aria made her way around and sat down on the edge of the bench beside Kaiba. He didn't move over to make room for her, so her whole left side was almost pressed up against him. Their knees brushed together, bringing a blush to her cheeks.

Kaiba placed his hands back on the keys and resumed the piece he had been playing. This time Aria closed her eyes as she let the music wash over her. "Where did you learn to play this?" she asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"It was one thing Gozaburo allowed me to learn, much to his chagrin. He always thought that if knowledge didn't benefit the company, it was useless."

A small smile appeared on Aria's lips. "Well I'm glad he let you learn. I could listen to this all night."

"Stay in my office all night? Miss Ito, what would the employees think?"

Aria's eyes snapped open at his insinuation. "You know that's not what I meant," giving him a playful shove with her shoulder.

Kaiba nudged her back a little more forcefully, but since Aria was already sitting precariously on the edge of the seat, she started to lose her balance and could feel herself begin to fall backwards. Once Kaiba realized what was happening, he reached out to grab her. Aria clung to his arms but instead of pulling herself back up onto the bench, she pulled Kaiba down with her.

THUD!

It wasn't the feeling of the hard floor that had Aria's attention, but the feeling of another body pressing down on top of her. She gasped when two very blue eyes locked into hers only inches away. Aria had seen many types of emotion reflected in Kaiba's eyes. Anger, arrogance, indifference. But this time was different, this time Aria saw a new emotion, and it was desire. Her mouth felt dry. In nervousness she gripped his forearms tighter. Kaiba interpreted her nervousness for eagerness, his eyes flickered to her lips.

"Kaiba…" she weakly protested, when she saw what he was thinking.

"Don't you think it's about time you called me Seto?" he whispered huskily, brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

Aria's senses had gone into overload. She couldn't think. Kaiba was everywhere, invading every inch of her space, but she couldn't bring herself to push him off. "Seto…" she whispered.

Before his name was off her lips, Kaiba captured them in his. Aria had never had a proper kiss before, but she knew that this was perfection. Lying down on the floor, a piano bench turned over, none of it mattered. All she could focus on was how perfectly her lips molded to his.

Kaiba kept his kisses sweet and slow, which surprised her, but part of her was also grateful for his chivalry. When Kaiba finally pulled back, Aria was at a loss for words and so just silently stared up at him.

"Maybe I should get off now and let you breathe," he said with a smirk.

Aria only nodded, allowing Kaiba to pull her back onto her feet.

 **000**

Kaiba didn't know what happened. One minute he was sitting snugly side by side with Aria at the piano, and the next thing he's lying on top of her down on the floor. Kaiba had always prided himself on keeping his actions and emotions under strict control. Even in all of his other encounters with Aria, his feelings were never out in the open. He always made sure to keep them close and guarded.

Except this one time. When Aria opened her eyes and locked her gaze with his, Kaiba knew she saw the raw desire reflected in them. Even at that point, Kaiba still had some reign on his senses. Then all came loose when she whispered his name. He never realized that she had always called him Kaiba. He definitely preferred her using his first name. He could get used to that.

Kaiba helped Aria back onto her feet, but didn't allow her to step away. He wasn't ready to let her go just yet. Keeping his hands on her elbows, he relished the feeling of having her in his arms. Screw the internship and their work relationship. Kaiba didn't think he could wait another few weeks to make her officially his. He was about to say so when she spoke first.

"I did have a reason for coming to see you," Aria said, letting her head rest softly on his chest.

"You mean coming up here to kiss me wasn't the reason? Shame."

Aria chuckled dryly. "I believe you kissed me."

"Moot point when we were both such willing participants." Kaiba swore he could feel the heat burning up her face on that one. "Okay, what was it you needed to see me about?"

Aria sadly sighed and stepped out of Kaiba's arms. "I saw Jim and Langley yesterday have some sort of secret rendezvous on the 10th floor."

Kaiba immediately switched into business mode. "Secret? How?"

"I found them together down a deserted corridor, speaking quietly to one another."

Kaiba rubbed his chin in concentration. "I find it hard to imagine Langley being a part of this espionage. He's been a loyal employee for years."

"I just can't imagine what Jim would be seeking him out for," Aria said, "All the programmers seemed to be in fear of him."

"I'll have Roland look into it, he'll know how to handle it."

Aria gave him a small smile. "Well, since I've said what I came to say, I better head home."

A pang of disappointment hit Kaiba. "Why don't you stay a little longer?" He brushed his fingers down Aria's face, but instead of melting under his touch, Kaiba saw her body stiffen. He frowned. He could see the rational part of her mind working again meaning she'll want to distance herself. Again. The thought almost made him swear under his breath. Must they do this dance every time? Back and forth, round and round. But then Kaiba tried to put himself in her shoes. He was her boss, her stepfather was blackmailing her and she didn't know if she would have a future doing the thing she loved after all of this was done. Maybe he was pushing things too fast. In just a few more weeks, all of this will be over and they could finally focus on _them._ Although excited at the idea of being with Aria, it also made his stomach clench in nervousness.

Kaiba took a step back, giving Aria some space. "Do you need a ride home?"

Aria shook her head. "I'm fine. I finished the seven-layer program for the holographic projection. Maybe we can review it tomorrow if you have time?"

"That's fine."

"Until next time then," Aria said with a slight bow. Heading towards the door, Aria paused with her hand on the handle. Turning her head back, she looked at Kaiba with soft green eyes. "Goodnight...Seto." And left his office.

 **000**

Kaiba went through the next few days in a haze. Everyday was business as usual, except for the times he was working alongside Aria. Every time he was in her presence, all he could think about was the kiss they shared, and how he very badly wanted a repeat. Fortunately he was able to better manage his conduct, and kept a safe distance at all times.

One small consolation was when Kaiba and Aria would be working on something together behind closed doors and she would offhandedly call him Seto. Each time brought a smirk to his face.

The following week Kaiba sat in his office reviewing the progress on the Duel Monsters Online project. He was happy to see that the groundwork was almost complete. By next month they should be able to move on to stage 2. Kaiba grinned knowing Aria would be upset having to hop off the project in the fall. He knows that she is just as passionate about this project as he is.

While immersed in his work, Kaiba was abruptly interrupted by his office door banging open. Preparing to scowl at who rudely barged into his office, Kaiba was surprised to see that it was Roland, and he was panting heavily as if he just ran all thirty flights of stairs to reach him. "What's wrong?" he asked, seeing right away that something was amiss.

"Sir," Roland gasped, "Someone is trying to hack into Kaiba Corp's mainframe. I wouldn't have been as concerned but our firewalls are falling like dominoes."

Now Kaiba was on high alert. No one messed with his company, not unless someone had a death wish. "Let's go down to the mainframe. I'll deal with this personally." He left his office with Roland hot on his heels.

Going into the elevator, Kaiba hit the button for the basement level where his supercomputer that managed all of Kaiba Corp's information sat. As the doors closed, a thought struck Kaiba and quickly also pressed the button for the 29th floor. Roland gave him a quizzical look. "There's something I need to check first."

Exiting onto the floor, Kaiba quickly did an inventory of all the programmers that were present. He saw that all six offices were occupied. As he turned to leave, he gave a quick glance into Aria's office but saw that it was empty. His brow furrowed at the coincidence of her being gone at this very moment. He didn't think she ever left her office unless it was to see him. An alarm went off in the back of his mind but he mentally shut it off. He'll find out where she went later. For now, he had a bigger problem to worry about.

 **000**

Aria was in deep water. She knew it the moment Kaiba kissed her. They finally crossed the line in which there was no return. She was surprised Kaiba let her distance herself, again, from him. There was only so much temptation a man could take. And Kaiba was a man who was used to getting what he wanted.

Luckily, her and Kaiba were able to fall into a sort of closeness as the days went by. They worked amiably together side by side. He never pressed her about their relationship and she didn't retreat further away. The one allowance she allowed herself was in calling him Seto when no one else was around. It came much more naturally to Aria, which she still found hard to believe.

One major complication that Aria didn't factor in was her need of a referral for her scholarship application. With only two weeks of summer left, Aria needed to have it submitted by sometime next week. Although she was sure Kaiba would be willing to give her one, what if the school found out that she was involved with him during her internship? Would they revoke it on the grounds of conflict of interest? Probably. And she didn't know anyone else within the company whom she could ask.

But that seemed the least of Aria's worries at the moment. If they don't find this insider soon, they won't be able to discover who's the mastermind behind it all. Which means that Aria's stepfather is going to come looking for her when she doesn't come up with the plans by the end of summer. If only there was more that she could do to smoke this ferret out of his hole!

These thoughts constantly flitted in and out of Aria's mind, never seeming to settle on an answer. Then one day, another opportunity presented itself. During the morning, Aria caught sight of Jim answering his office phone. Normally this wouldn't raise a red flag, except that Jim appeared to be talking in a heated manner. After setting the phone forcefully down, Jim left his office and onto an awaiting elevator.

Knowing she couldn't let the moment pass by, Aria waited for the elevator doors to close before springing from her seat and going to catch the next one. Riding down to level 11 and then taking the stairwell down the last floor. Peeking out and seeing the hallway empty, Aria slowly started walking down the hall, figuring Langley and Jim must be meeting in the same place as last time. But before she had gone ten steps, she watched in horror as Langley stepped out of the programming lab. Praying he wouldn't see her and go in the opposite direction, Aria's stomach dropped when he walked towards her instead.

When Langley noticed her standing there, his eyes instantly narrowed, his footsteps becoming more purposeful towards her. "Ito, what brings you down here to us _lowly_ programmers?" he sneered.

Aria glared back. Now that she was caught, maybe it was time to to add some smoke, making this ferret come out of hiding. She crossed her arms in defiance. "I saw Jim Roberts come down here the other week and was wondering what he could possibly have to do with you _lowly_ programmers."

"That is none of your concern. You always did have a problem with sticking your nose into where it doesn't belong," he said in disgust.

Aria bristled in anger. "Maybe your the one who's sticking his nose in the wrong places, Langley."

Langley's face began to change colour. "I don't know what you're implying little lady but I will not have Kaiba's lap dog biting at my heels!"

Aria wanted to slap him silly for that comment, but she knew it was time to back down. She didn't want to find out what Langley was capable of. "Just make sure you know where your loyalties lie," she said quietly before turning on her heel and heading back to the elevators. When the doors closed behind her, Aria let out a gasp of air, covering her face in both hands. What was she thinking? Too soon the doors opened onto the 29th floor. Knowing she wasn't ready to go back into her office, Aria headed off for the ladies washroom.

Splashing cold water on her face, Aria began to feel like she could breathe normally again. Did she just blow everything? Would her stepfather find out through Langley that she had sided with Kaiba? Against her will, tears began to seep out down her face. She just wanted it all to be over. But maybe the question was not when it was going to end, but how.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Kaiba stood in the computer mainframe, watching as his best computer scientists tried to combat the virus that was trying to worm its way through their firewalls. Fortunately Kaiba had prepared for this exact scenario. When the threat first became apparent, he made sure his firewalls were strengthened and multiplied just in case. But it looked like they had run out of time.

But if all of the programmers were at their desks, then who had inflicted the virus? The criminal mastermind behind it all?

 _Not all programmers were at their desks._

Kaiba flicked the stray thought away. Aria may be brilliant but there was no way she had the capability to instigate a hack of this magnitude. But then how much did he really know about her? It had only been a couple of months since he started seeing her as more than just an employee.

"Tell me how this all started, right from the beginning," Kaiba said to Roland standing beside him. He needed to put the issue surrounding Aria aside until he had more facts.

"At exactly 1 p.m., a rogue virus entered our systems," explained Roland. "When our anti-malware systems failed to eliminate it right away, I knew we weren't dealing with a common invader. Within minutes, a dozen of our preliminary firewalls had been breached. That's when I left to alert you to the situation."

Kaiba remained impassive as he mulled over Roland's words. "Have you been able to locate the source of where the virus originated?"

"No sir. The signal jumps around constantly, we cannot get a lock on it."

"We need to find out who is behind this and now. This hacker obviously knows what he's doing. I don't want to take the chance that he might actually get through."

"That will be difficult if we can't get a hold on the signal."

Kaiba thought for a moment. "The hacker has to be plugged into our system somewhere. He wouldn't be able to do this remotely."

"Then I'll begin an immediate search of the whole building sir," Roland said determinedly.

Kaiba gave a curt nod, not looking as Roland left the room. He couldn't keep his eyes off of the computer screens as his workers vigilantly fought off the virus. There was nothing more he could do here. He needed to find Aria and put to rest any thoughts of her involvement.

 **000**

Aria tried to clean herself up as best she could before venturing back out into the office area. She hoped it wasn't obvious that she had been crying, she didn't dare look weak in front of the other programmers or the insider. As she walked to the back of the floor, she wondered how many more times she would have to do this trek past the offices with a stoic mask on. Aria was tired of having to keep up appearances when all she felt was a heaviness pressing down on her chest.

She hadn't sat down in her chair for two minutes before Kaiba strode onto the floor. Aria's chest lightened a bit at the thought of seeing him, but it quickly deflated when she noticed that his shoulders were tense and his mouth was set into a hard line. She grew even more concerned when it was her office he walked into.

"Seto?" she asked tentatively. "Is something wrong?"

"Where were you earlier?"

Aria was taken aback by the terseness of his question. Gone was any warmth he had been showing her over the past few days, even at her calling him Seto. The Kaiba she had known from before her internship was the one standing before her now. Cold and hard.

"Excuse me?" Aria asked perplexed. If something had happened concerning the threat, then why was he directing his anger at her?

"I came onto the floor shortly after 1 p.m. and you weren't at your desk," he replied in the same clipped tone.

Aria hesitated, wondering if Kaiba would be angry with her for going down to snoop again on Langley. But with Kaiba in his present mood, honesty was probably the better option to take at the moment. "I went to see Langley again. I saw Jim answer his phone and after responding rather aggressively, he got up and left in the elevators. I decided to try and follow him again." She saw Kaiba's shoulders relax, but just barely.

"Did you see anything worthwhile?"

Aria looked down at her hands and shook her head. "Langley came out of the lab just as I was walking down the hall. He spotted me and we exchanged some heated words." She ducked her head at the admission. "And then I left. Jim was nowhere in sight." When she peeked back up at him, Kaiba's posture was no longer in offensive mode, his body looked like it had deflated of most of its anger.

"I'm sorry Ari," Kaiba said, rubbing the back of his head. "I was just informed that a virus had entered our system and is attempting to break in to our files."

Aria gave a quick intake of breath at the news. Apparently their time was up.

"On my way down to the mainframe, I stopped here to see if any of the programmers were absent from their stations. Everyone was accounted for...except you."

Aria let Kaiba's words hang in the air. She could see why that would indeed look incriminating on her part. But then she realized something. "You mean Jim was at his desk when you came down?" she asked puzzled. "I wonder what could have taken him away for such a short period of time. Could he have inflicted a virus on the system so quickly?"

Kaiba shook his head. "I doubt it. This virus is not something we have ever seen before."

Aria stood up and walked over to him and looked deep into Kaiba's eyes. "You know I would never betray you. I want to catch this thug just as much as you do."

"I know," he replied, his gaze never wavering from hers.

 **000**

Aria came home to her apartment that night exhausted. And it wasn't from the workload. Knowing that Kaiba's technology, that she and others had worked so hard on, was under threat put her under a lot of stress.

Before heading home, Aria had stopped by Kaiba's office to see if they had made any progress on stopping the virus. Kaiba responded tiredly that although they've been able to significantly slow it down, they still had yet to fully eradicate it.

It pained Aria to see Kaiba struggling. Yes, he still held himself high, confidently, never wavering under the immense pressure of protecting his coveted technology. But Aria had begun seeing through his facade. The tenseness in his shoulders, the permanent grimace set on his mouth. It was funny how she used to think that was how he looked all the time. But now she knew better, now she wanted to go and rub his shoulders until they relaxed, whisper in his ear that everything would be okay.

As much as Aria wanted to do those things, she knew she had no right to act the concerned girlfriend, mainly because she had not yet earned that title. She chastised herself. She didn't even want the title! Or so Aria kept telling herself. It was even a overbound step going to his office to "check-in" on him. Aria knew Kaiba didn't need to be checked up on, but she was concerned for his welfare. How an 18-year-old boy, sorry, _man_ , could hold an entire company upon his shoulders was a mystery to her.

Aria pressed her forehead against the door, not quite ready to walk in just yet. A lot of emotions had been rolling through her due to the news of the virus. And yet, it was her concern for Kaiba that seemed to rise above all else. It was very disconcerting. She knew she was attracted to the man, and that was an understatement. But was there more to it than that? Aria inwardly groaned. It was time to go for some outside help and she knew just the person to go to.

Entering the apartment, Aria was relieved to find Tea sitting alone on the couch, leafing through a magazine.

"Oh hey Aria," Tea said with a cursory glance.

Aria walked right up to her and stood silently.

Tea slowly looked up from her magazine. "Er, was there something you needed?"

"Yes as a matter of fact, could we talk in your room?"

Tea's eyes first filled with confusion but soon turned into understanding. "Follow me," was all she said as she grabbed Aria's hand and practically dragged her to her room.

It was funny how Aria had loathed the first girl talk they had, and yet now she yearned for it. For the opportunity to pour her heart out to someone who wouldn't judge her or use the information for their own personal gain.

Tea threw open the door and slammed it closed when Aria was inside. "Sit," she said, motioning to the floor. She grabbed a few throw pillows off of the bed and tossed one at Aria. Tea sat down across from her, clutching the throw pillow to her chest. "Okay, you can start now."

Aria sighed as she gathered up the pillow in her arms. "I don't even know where to begin."

"This is about Kaiba, right?"

Aria solemnly nodded.

"The last I heard, you guys had a date night at the office. Has something changed since then?" Tea asked.

Aria played with the fringe on the throw pillow, unable to meet Tea's eyes. "Things might have progressed a bit since then…"

Tea's eyes widened. She leaned forward with her head in her hands. "He kissed you didn't he?"

Aria nodded still looking down.

"Eeeek!" Tea squealed, causing Aria to jump in alarm. "Was it utterly amazing? Hot billionaires like him have to be amazing kissers."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Of course he was amazing at it. Even though we were lying on the floor." At Tea's gaping stare, Aria realized she had revealed more than she had intended.

"You were lying on the floor together?" Tea said aghast. "I thought you only kissed him!"

"I did only kiss him," Aria quickly clarified. "We fell off a piano bench-but that's beside the point. I needed to talk to you because…" Aria trailed off, not being exactly sure what she needed to talk about. All of it was a jumbled mess, where did she start?

"Because you've fallen for Kaiba and it's freaking you out?" Tea suggested.

Aria laid down on her back and stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Had she fallen for Kaiba? It would explain the amount of worrying she did over him today. At some point over the summer, Aria's image of Kaiba must have flipped. She no longer saw him as an arrogant, billionaire playboy. She smiled to herself. Even if he was still those things.

"Yes," Aria admitted, surprised by how good it felt to have it out in the open.

"Well," Tea smiled smugly, "Now that _that_ is clear, what's next?"

Aria gave a humorless laugh. "I have no idea. How do I even know he feels the same way?"

Tea gave her a look. "Aria, that man has been trying all summer to get you to go out with him, even after you turned him down. I would say his feelings are pretty clear."

"But…" Aria sat up, trying to form her words. "What if it's for all the wrong reasons? Maybe he's just in it for the chase and not for the long haul."

Tea's eyes softened as she put a hand on Aria's knee. "Ari, I can't tell you for 100% certain that Kaiba's motives are completely noble. But I do know that love can feel like a leap of faith. Sometimes you have to put yourself out there. I think you would end up regretting not going for it. Not finding out if this is the real thing."

Aria let Tea's words of wisdom sink in. "Since when did you become the love guru?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't tell me you figured out things with Pharaoh?"

It was Tea's turn to give a humorless laugh. "As if. The problem is not Pharaoh, its Yugi. How do you go up to him and say 'Excuse me Yugi, but I need to have a heart to heart talk with your alter ego.' I think he deals with enough self-esteem issues, he doesn't need me making him feel even more inadequate."

Aria nodded in understanding. "That does complicate things."

"Stop changing the subject, we came in here to talk about you," Tea admonished. "Now that you've admitted your feelings, are you going to tell Kaiba?"

Aria nibbled on her lower lip. She knew Tea was right in that she would regret not giving Kaiba and her a chance. Otherwise she would always be left wondering.

"Yes," she said tentatively. "But there is a lot going on at work right now, so I think I'll wait until that blows over first."

"Hmmm," Tea said unbelievingly. "Just don't put it off too long or the moment might pass you by."

"I won't let that happen," Aria assured her. Besides, after everything that has happened, what did she have to lose?

 **000**

Aria went into work the next day feeling both nervous and excited. She was excited to see Kaiba of course, but nervous to hear any news regarding the invasive virus. Were they able to finally eliminate it from the systems? Once again Aria fretted over Kaiba's well-being. Knowing him, he probably stayed at the office all night. But could she blame him? If the company that she worked hard to rebuild and create was at risk, she'd probably pull a few all-nighters too.

But even knowing these things made Aria's day more stressful. Everyone seemed about their work as usual, there didn't appear to be any turmoil. However, Aria was unsure if the whole company even knew there was an attack on Kaiba's special project. Everything surrounding it was already kept tightly underwraps.

But it didn't stop Aria from constantly watching the door to the stairwell, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kaiba's signature trench coat. When all morning there was no sign of him, Aria began to give up that she would see him at all. How badly she wanted to climb the stairs up to his office, to at least hear an update about the virus. But she feared disturbing him during this critical time. Aria didn't know what would happen if they didn't catch the hacker and worse, if they make off with the blueprints. Where would that leave Kaiba Corp? Aria didn't have any answers, all she could do was focus on the work at hand. And it was frustrating.

When lunch time came and gone and still no sign of Kaiba, Aria knew she needed to head over to the kitchenette to grab lunch, lest she die of hunger. She didn't want Kaiba to see her absent at her desk again but she didn't want to starve either. Getting her lunch out of the fridge, Aria started reheating her leftovers in the tiny microwave on the counter.

Leaning against the counter while waiting for her food, Aria watched while Hiro left his office and went over into the copy room adjacent to the kitchenette. Tenzin also left his office seconds later and joined Hiro beside the photocopier.

"Hey, Hiro," Tenzin called.

Hiro looked up in acknowledgement.

"Are you aware of any work being delegated down to Langley in the lab?"

Aria's ears picked up at the mention of Langley. She smoothed out her features to try and look bored and uninterested in their conversation.

Hiro looked thoughtful. "No, why would Langley be on the project? He's not on the team."

"That's what I thought, but I overheard Jim on the phone saying he would meet Langley at 7 p.m. at his desk tonight to finish what they started." Tenzin looked concerned. "It just seemed out of place to me."

Aria's food beeped that it was ready, making her jump. She quickly recovered by taking it out and stirring it, trying to buy some more time.

Hiro shrugged, "If you're worried about it, why not tell it to the boss?"

Tenzin appeared conflicted before laughing it off. "Nah, it's probably nothing. He'd probably just explain it away then yell at me to get back to work and do the job I'm paid for."

Hiro gave a dry chuckle. "That does sound like Mr. Kaiba."

The two men eventually drifted back to their offices, going back into their work like nothing was amiss. Aria however could barely walk back to her office coherently. Jim was meeting Langley tonight? To finish what they started? Could they be referring to the virus? Langley must have decided to act fast since Aria had made it obvious yesterday that she was on to him, and that her loyalties laid with Seto.

Aria put her hand on her phone to call up to Kaiba's office but then hesitated. She looked over at Jim's office. What if he got tipped off that she knew about their secret rendezvous tonight? This may be their last chance to finally catch the ones responsible. All she had to do was obtain some evidence of them in the act.

Aria took her hand off the receiver. She knew Seto would be angry for putting herself in a dangerous situation...again, but she couldn't risk blowing this shot. No, she could do this and she would make sure that it ended tonight.

 **000**

Aria planned to work till 6:30 then "head home" for the night. But she was surprised when she saw Jim shut down his station at 6. She debated going down to the lab then but decided to stick to the time him and Langley had initially planned. She didn't feel like sitting around for an hour in the stairwell where anyone could happen upon her.

At 6:40 Aria shut down her station and headed to the stairwell. She couldn't take the risk of running into anyone in the elevators and so decided to walk down the 19 floors. She was just glad that she was walking down and not up.

In ten minutes she reached the 10th floor. Watching out the small window, Aria waited for Jim's figure to walk past. When her phone read 7 p.m. she waited with bated breath. But the elevators didn't open. By 7:05 Aria wondered if she had missed Jim entirely. When the clock read 7:15 and no sign of any activity, Aria began to worry that Jim had somehow figured out that she knew about the meeting.

Bracing herself, she stuck her head out the door and looked down the hallway. The interior lights had dimmed for the night, but Aria could just make out the viewing window into the lab, and a soft light could just be seen shining through. If Jim and Langley were in there right now stealing the plans, all Aria had to do was creep down and take a picture of them through the window. Then she could turn around and run like a bat out of hell to the elevators.

Her heart pounding in her ears, Aria started walking. She didn't want to walk too slow in case they exited out of the door, but too fast and she might make too much noise. Attempting to control her breathing, and failing, she closed in on the window. Aria took a steadying breath before looking in, her camera at the ready.

Langley's desk came into view, however, Jim nor Langley were at it. Looking around the room, Aria saw that it was completely empty. Confusion and bewilderment washed through her, replacing her fear. The soft light was emanating from Langley's computer screen. Why would he leave it on? Were they trying to get out as quickly as they could?

Feeling bold, Aria walked into the office, to see what was on the other side of the computer monitor. Bending down, Aria saw a progress bar that read 100% DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. Her breath hitched. So they were successful in stealing the plans. It was then she saw something sticking out of the side of the monitor. Narrowing her eyes in the darkness, she saw it was a memory stick. Surely they didn't forget it. She pulled it out to get a better look. Maybe it wasn't for holding data, but what Langley used to install the virus so that he could access the encrypted files.

As she continued to peer at the stick, the door behind her was wrenched open. Fear gripped her and she dropped the data stick. A scream began to form in her mouth as she turned around to see who had entered.

 **A/N: Ugh...this chapter was so difficult to write. Sorry if it shows. Would love to hear anyone's theories about who they think is behind it all!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **A/N: I am so sorry for the lateness of the chapter and on a cliffhanger no less. I'm sure everyone was pretty busy over the Christmas holidays. Anywho, its here now! I'll try not to leave it past 3 weeks between each update. Enjoy! Review!**

Aria's heart hammered in her chest. There was a part of her that didn't want to turn around but she was too startled to have had time to think about it. She was just about to scream when she caught sight of who had entered.

"Seto!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest and collapsing against the desk in relief. "I'm so happy you're here, you need to see this," Aria said, motioning towards Langley's computer. But when Kaiba didn't move, Aria looked at him in confusion. "What's wrong?" It was then she noticed that he looked a bit pale, and his hands were clenched at his sides. "Seto…" she said again, walking towards him.

Kaiba put up a hand to stop her from coming any closer. "We need to talk up in my office. Now."

Aria stared at him in astonishment. "But-"

"Now!" Kaiba barked.

Aria nodded numbly, too hurt and scared to try and argue any further, she walked out the door past him. Kaiba picked up the data stick off the floor before following her out.

The silence between them was deafening as they walked down the hallway and up the elevator. Aria's mind churned with thoughts and questions. _Was he angry with me for going down to Langley's desk alone? What if Langley was running off with the plans now? Shouldn't they be going after him?_ Aria imagined she would get the answers to these questions soon. But as she glanced over at Kaiba and saw that he had put his expressionless mask on, she had a feeling she wasn't going to like the answers.

Arriving at the top floor, Aria quietly followed Kaiba into his office. He walked straight back to stand behind his desk, looking out onto the city. Aria followed him, blushing at the sight of the piano as she walked past. She would give anything to have that Kaiba back right now.

Standing in front of his desk, Aria waited nervously for him to begin speaking. A part of her wanted to get the yelling done and over with so they could get back to what was important; catching the bad guys. Didn't Kaiba see there were more important matters to deal with right now? How could he stand there so calmly when someone might be making off with his beloved project?

Finally, Kaiba turned around. But he didn't look at her as he leaned over his desk and inserted the data stick into his computer. Aria jerked in alarm when he plugged it in, worried that the data stick was what was used to infect the mainframe in the first place. But Kaiba's face remained impassive as he typed and clicked. Once he had finished did he finally look at Aria. She didn't think it was possible, but it seemed his face looked even colder than it had before. The back of her neck began to prickle. Something was definitely off.

"Seto…" she began, trying to think of something to say to help diffuse the situation.

"I believe you have lost that right to call me that." he replied curtly.

Aria recoiled as if he had physically slapped her. "Why are you acting like this?" she whispered. Her voice seemed to have lost all of its strength.

"Are you really going to keep playing the victim here Miss Ito?"

"What are you talking about?" she said a little louder this time. "Yes, I went into Langley's office after hours because I heard that him and Jim were meeting-"

"Mr. Langley was down in the mainframe with me," he said coolly. "It was with his help that we were able to isolate the virus."

"So you were able to stop it?" Aria asked hopefully.

Kaiba scowled. "We thought we did. Until we saw a download of all Duel Monster's Online files leave the system. Following the source, we were able to surmise it came out at Langley's computer." His gaze darkened. "Which lead me to you."

It was then Aria realized why he had been treating her with such contempt. "You think I did this?" she gasped. All the air had just left her lungs. Tears began to collect behind her eyes, but she desperately tried to keep them at bay. Crying now would serve no purpose. "How could you think that?"

"Because I rely on facts Miss Ito. And that facts are that I found you at the scene of the crime in possession of the stolen files." Kaiba held up the memory stick.

Aria could only shake her head. No longer being able to stop the tears from flowing down her face. It simply hurt too much knowing that he was choosing what he saw over what had grown between them over the summer. Did he really think her capable of using him in such a despicable manner? Apparently he did.

"And," Kaiba continued, "There was your absence during the time the virus was instigated."

"I explained that."

"Shall we check your alibi then?" asked Kaiba. He pushed a button on his phone. "Roland, send in Mr. Langley."

Aria stiffened. Although there was animosity between the two of them, surely Langley would tell the truth. Wouldn't he?

In a few short moments, Langley walked into the office to stand beside Aria, not acknowledging her presence. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Langley, Miss Ito claims that she had a conversation with you yesterday at 1 p.m. on the tenth floor. Can you confirm this?"

Aria stopped breathing as she waited for his response.

Langley paused for a moment before answering. "No Mr. Kaiba. I had left the lab at that point because I had been called down to the mainframe, but I did not see Miss Ito."

Aria closed her eyes, not able to look at the man who had just condemned her. She knew her and Langley had never seen eye to eye, but did he not realize what his dishonesty had just cost her?

"Thank you Langley, you may go."

Aria heard Langley's footsteps leave the room but long after the door had closed she still couldn't bring herself to look at the man before her. The silence was suffocating. All Aria could think about was that it was all over. Her dreams of going to college, of becoming a programmer. And somewhere along the way, Kaiba had entered into those dreams. Of wanting to see him become a part of her future. Now it was all gone.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" he hissed.

Aria looked at him with bleary eyes. She prayed he would see in her gaze the heartfelt sincerity that she had been honest with him all along.

"And it all makes perfect sense now," he drawled. "You had me preoccupied with investigating the other programmers when I should have been watching you. That's why nothing was turning up."

Kaiba's words hurt too much for her to be able to formulate a response. All she could do was stand there and take the barrage of shots he kept firing at her. She knew him too well to know that she would not be able to make him see reason. Once you crossed Seto Kaiba, there was no going back. Even if it was on a false accusation.

"But despite all this Miss Ito, I didn't think you were low enough to use your feminine _wiles_ on me in order to get what you wanted."

It then all became much clearer for Aria. It wasn't only the fact that he thought she had betrayed his company. No, it was because he thought she had betrayed his heart. She wanted to yell and scream at him that it was all real, that she had given him her heart as well. But it was too late. Kaiba would be more closed off then ever now.

Kaiba gave a sharp bark of laughter. "And to think I fell for it! I should have known that you were only doing it for something in return." He leaned towards her. "Though I am curious to know how far would you have gone for it," he said with a sneer.

By that point Aria had had enough. She marched right around his desk up to him and slapped him across the face. Hard. Shaking in anger, she said through clenched teeth, "You don't know what you are talking about! I looked you in the eye yesterday and said that I would never betray you. That hasn't changed."

Kaiba flexed his jaw. "You can go now. I'm done with your lies."

"What? That's it? Your not going to have me thrown in jail?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, I think you having to go back to your stepfather without the plans will be punishment enough."

Aria blanched. He was right of course. But Aria also knew that she wasn't the one to download the files. Did Riku's insider get a hold of another copy? The tangle of it all was too confusing to sort through now. Her mind and heart were too bashed up to think clearly.

Aria straightened her shoulders and looked Kaiba in the eye. "I will not apologize Mr. Kaiba for something I did not do. But be aware that there is still someone out there trying to steal those plans."

When Kaiba didn't respond, Aria knew it was time to leave. He wouldn't believe anything more she had to say. Regretfully, she stepped away from him and walked away. How badly she wanted to look back at him one last time, but she knew it would be futile to do so. For all she'd see would be a look of scorn on the face of a man she had come to love.

Her legs carried her as far as the elevator. When the doors opened, Aria stumbled in only to fall onto the floor. She pressed the button for the lobby, but had no strength left to get back up. So she put her head on her knees and cried.

 **000**

Kaiba watched with icy eyes as Aria left the room. Even after everything that she's done to him, Kaiba couldn't help but feel a prick of pride in her attitude. She had actually slapped him! He could still feel the sting of where her hand met his face. He had seen it coming from a mile away, but after his words had left his mouth he felt that perhaps he had taken it a bit far. He had been angry and he wanted her to feel as hurt as he did.

With a sigh he went back to the window, letting his head rest against the cool pane. Right to the end she denied stealing the files. Even after she had been caught. Turning back to his desk he picked up the memory stick that held all the files that had been completed so far on the project. Where could she have gotten a USB drive of this caliber? There must be at least a terabyte of information stored on it.

Kaiba tossed back down the USB in frustration. It was late and he was tired. The past few days had been stressful enough without having to add treachery and betrayal on top of it. As he walked out of his office and into the boardroom, Kaiba was almost afraid Aria would still be there. Blissfully it was empty.

As he headed down to the parking garage, he almost decided to call for the limo instead. There was one too many memories associated with Aria and his car. Kaiba hardened himself however and berated himself for acting so weak.

The drive back to his mansion was a quick one. Kaiba may have broken the speed limit a few times but he needed to vent his anger out somewhere. The Kaiba mansion was settled in the countryside with the city lights twinkling in the background. Pulling through the iron gates, he parked in the spacious garage. After shutting off the engine, Kaiba gripped the steering wheel and focused on leveling his breathing. He didn't want Mokuba to see him unsettled. As the older brother and basically parent, Kaiba always needed to make sure he kept a strong front up for his brother.

Walking through the front doors, Kaiba found the main floor quiet. Either Mokuba was upstairs or still out. He smiled wryly at the fact that he never really knew what Mokuba did with his time. But he did know that Mokuba was quite mature for his age and didn't need an adult hovering over him all the time.

Kaiba headed into the kitchen, more out of routine then hunger. The days events had definitely erased any thoughts of food. He opted instead for his customary cup of earl grey and took it out onto the patio while it steeped.

The summer evening was warm but with a light cool breeze blowing just enough to keep it from becoming stifling. Kaiba sat on a patio chair, looking out onto the surrounding gardens. He didn't want to dwell on the day's events, on Aria's duplicity, but if he didn't deal with it now it would only fester till it became too much to bear.

Kaiba looked back on all of their interactions together. Not once did he ever detect deception in Aria. Did he become blind by his feelings for her? Kaiba prided himself on being able to read to people, but with Aria he had it completely wrong. For almost the whole summer she played coy, refusing again and again to fully involve herself with him. He conceded that maybe she did have reservations about using his attraction against him but obviously that hadn't stopped her. He thought back to their kiss at the piano…

"Argh!" he yelled, standing up suddenly and knocking his chair back several feet.

"Seto?"

Kaiba looked back to see Mokuba standing tentatively to the side.

"What happened?" Mokuba asked concernedly. He gasped. "The virus didn't get through did it?"

"In a way but fortunately we were able to catch the perpetrator responsible," Kaiba said with a scowl.

"Why are you angry then? Isn't that good news?"

Kaiba clenched his jaw. He debated whether to tell him about Aria. He knew Mokuba held her in a high regard but maybe it was time he learned that not everyone was who they seemed.

"It was Aria," he said quietly.

Mokuba looked puzzled, as if he had misheard him. "Aria? But you don't mean-"

"Yes," Kaiba said curtly. "I found her tonight with the stolen files."

"That's impossible, there has to be another explanation," Mokuba said resolutely.

Kaiba grabbed his teacup and threw it against the wall. Mokuba flinched at his sudden outburst.

"Don't you get it Mokuba?" Kaiba yelled. "She lied to me, she lied to both of us!"

Mokuba silently shook his head. Kaiba could see the tears that were beginning to well up in his brothers eyes. He hated that he had to do this to Mokuba, but if he didn't, then someone else would.

"Not everyone is good in this world Mokuba, and it's about time you learned that people will take advantage of you."

Mokuba's eyes suddenly sparked with fire. "So what? I'm just supposed to shut everyone out like you do Seto? Never let anyone in and just be alone at Kaiba Corp for the rest of my life?"

Kaiba growled at Mokuba's words. "At least I won't have to worry about Kaiba Corp betraying me!"

"You're wrong Seto," Mokuba said quietly. "For Kaiba Corp will never be able to give you what every person needs most. And that's love."

Kaiba scoffed. "Save that rubbish for the dweebs. You know I don't care for it."

"I think you do and Aria is proof of that."

Kaiba turned away in disgust. He knew his feelings had grown deep for Aria. But look where it got him. His technology almost stolen and a broken...just more rubbish he didn't want in his life.

When Kaiba turned back around he saw that Mokuba had gone. It was probably for the best. Enough words had been thrown between them. Looking at the tea and glass that now littered the ground, Kaiba realised that he hadn't just been angry for Aria hurting him but for the hurt she would cause Mokuba. But unlike Kaiba, Mokuba still held faith that Aria was innocent. Kaiba paused as he thought back to Aria's steadfast denial of any involvement. Did he need to put some faith in her as well?

 **000**

Aria had barely registered the cab ride home. It was like she could feel her body going through the motions but her mind was someplace else entirely. It was back in Kaiba's office, going over every derisive word and contemptuous look that was given to her. She didn't know why she tortured herself so, maybe it was penance for not realizing sooner that Seto-no, _Kaiba_ -was someone she did want in her life. It wouldn't do to keep calling him Seto, even only to herself, as it only brought pain at how close they had become. Along with the memory of when she had called him it for the first time.

Aria's face warmed at the remembrance.

Aria hadn't noticed when the taxi had stopped in front of her building until the cab driver politely cleared his throat. Snapping out of her melancholy thoughts, Aria quickly paid him then stepped out.

After the car had driven away, Aria stood outside debating about whether or not she was ready to go in and face her friends. She was sure she wouldn't be able to disguise her emotions. Joey for sure would immediately start interrogating her until she fessed up what the problem was. And it didn't help that her "bedroom" was the living room, leaving her nowhere to go and hide from prying questions.

Heaving a sigh, Aria started up the front steps, deciding it was better to get it over with now. At least she could openly share everything that has happened. There was no point in keeping secrets now. She only hoped everyone would be sequestered away in their bedrooms to at least give herself a second to collect herself before being pounced on.

Letting herself into the apartment Aria's hopes were dashed when she came upon Tea, Joey and Tristan sitting on the couch playing a video game together. Tea was jabbing her elbows into Joey who was sitting beside her.

"Give me some room!" Tea shouted, as her thumbs flew over the controller.

"If you want more room you can sit on the floor!" Joey replied heatedly.

"Your only mad because I'm beating your butt!"

Aria gave a small smile at their antics, but seeing that her friends were occupied decided to take advantage of the distraction and tiptoed towards the kitchen. If only she could duck in the one end without them seeing her, then she might be able to sneak away out the otherside. Just as she reached the entryway, her foot landed on a squeaky floorboard. _Creak…_

"Oh, hey Aria, we didn't see you come in," Tea called out to her.

Aria cursed the building for its ancient and noisy floorboards. Instead of turning around, Aria just gave a small wave with her hand and walked into the kitchen. She didn't think she could handle talking with her friends right then. One look at them would probably send the waterworks that she had been able to hold at bay so far. Bracing her hands against the countertop, Aria breathed in and out through her nose. She could feel the hot sting of tears beginning to form behind her eyes.

"Uh...everythin' alright Aria?"

Aria jumped at the sound of the voice. Standing awkwardly in the kitchen entryway was Joey, though concern could be clearly seen on his face. It was that look that finally undid Aria. Throwing caution to the wind, Aria ran to Joey, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She didn't care that she was hugging one of her male friends, all she could feel was how deprived she was of any human physical interaction. Kaiba had begun to fill the void that her stepfather had left, but after Kaiba's dismissal, the void had become too unbearable.

Unsure of how to react to a crying female that was clinging to him, Joey tentatively patted her on the back. "Gee Ari, I've never seen you this worked up. Don't tell me this was rich boy's doing."

Aria got her sobs under control and pulled away. She winced when she noticed the mess she left on his white t-shirt. Not able to look into his eyes, Aria gave a slow nod. "It is mostly because of Kaiba, but not in the way you think. I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that." When she finally did chance a look at Joey, she was relieved to find no anger in his eyes, though there was a tic to his jaw.

"Sounds like you have a lot to talk about," Joey said. "And I think it calls for the whole gang. Hey, Tristan!" Joey yelled into the living room. "Get Yugi over here, tell him it's an emergency!"

Aria shook her head at Joey's brusqueness, but was happy to have someone take charge of the situation. She realized how much better it was to be surrounded by those who cared about you then going through a crisis alone. She had never been more thankful for her friends.

Following Joey into the living room, Tea still sat on the couch while Tristan was standing off to the side on his phone, presumably talking to Yugi. Tea immediately jumped off the couch at seeing Aria and wrapped her in a huge hug.

"Is everything okay?" Tea asked, not letting go.

Aria pulled back in astonishment. "How did you know the emergency was about me?"

"I saw it on your face when you entered the room. And I knew it either had to be something to do with your stepfather or Kaiba."

"Well, your right on both counts," Aria said.

Tea's eyes grew wide in shock. "What? But how is that possible?"

"Let's wait for Yugi to get here and I can tell everyone at once."

Tristan hung up his phone and walked over. "He'll be here in ten minutes."

Tea nodded. "I'll go put the kettle on for tea," Tea said, walking into the kitchen. "By the sound of things, this is going to be a long talk."

By the time Tea had cups of steeping tea set out in front of the couch, Yugi was walking in the door.

"I came here as fast as I could," he said a little breathless. "What's the problem?"

Joey jerked a thumb over at Aria who was already sitting on the couch. "Something went down today at Kaiba Corp between Aria and rich boy. We were just waitin' on you."

Everyone gathered around in the living room, looking expectantly at Aria, waiting for her to start talking. Aria wasn't sure where to start. Would her friends by angry with her for not telling them sooner about what has been going on at Kaiba Corp? The fear gave her pause, until Tea reached over and gave her hand a soft squeeze.

"Just remember," Tea said, "We are your friends and we are here for you no matter what. So don't be afraid to tell us anything."

Aria gave Tea a warm smile for her reassuring words. It was exactly what she needed to hear. Taking a deep breath Aria began right at the beginning, when her and Kaiba had first interacted in the classroom. There were a few gasps when Aria got to the parts about her stepfather's blackmail, and even a few heartfelt sighs from Tea during Aria recalling her times with Kaiba. Joey usually responded with either a roll of his eyes or an imitation of a gag reflex. Aria didn't acknowledge any of this, she just kept talking. She knew she needed to get it all out now.

By the time she finished, the room had fallen eerily silent. Until Joey, red in the face, jumped up and started punching the air.

"How dare that creep say those things to ya! Does he have no respect? I'm going to show him what happens when he messes with my friend."

"Woah, calm down man," Tristan said, placing his hands on Joey's shoulders. "I'm pretty peeved at the guy too, but it won't change anything about Aria's situation."

Joey shoulders slumped forwards in acquiescence. "Your righ' Tristan. Until we find out who framed her, we won't be able to clear her name."

Aria looked at Joey like he had just spouted three heads. "What did you just say?" she asked. "You think I was framed?"

"Well it makes sense doesn't it?" said Joey. "You just conveniently happened to be in the place where the stolen files were. Not to mention Kaiba bursting in on you seconds later."

Aria got off the couch and started pacing around the room. It was like puzzle pieces were finally falling into place. How could she not have seen it? Of course someone would frame her. Haven't they been setting her up all along? The threatening messages, the "secret" meetings between Langley and Jim. Someone was only making it look like they had been conspiring together. Like the phone call Jim got to get him to leave the office.

Aria buried her face in her hands. How could she have been so stupid? She was so convinced that Langley was the insider that it blinded her to all the other programmers. She suddenly gasped, making everyone jump. "I know who the insider is…"

"You do?" Tea asked, "Who?"

"It was Tenzin," Aria said. "It was him who told Hiro that Jim was having a secret meeting with Langley tonight. He did it when I knew I would overhear him." She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Ugh! How could I have been so stupid?"

"Easy," Yugi said stepping in. "The point is we now know who's behind this. Could you go to Kaiba and get the real guy caught?"

Aria thought about it for a moment then sadly shook her head. "No, I can't go back to Kaiba unless I have real hard proof. It would only be hearsay, which is exactly what I've been telling him all this time."

"Then how can we prove it?" Tea asked determinedly.

Aria looked in wonder at her friends who so readily accepted her innocence and were now willing to fight for it. Which was why she couldn't involve them in this any further. "I appreciate your willingness to help, but I can't get you guys anymore involved. You might already be in endanger from just being privy to this information."

"Aria," Joey said wrapping an arm around her neck. "We just saved the world from a crazy psychotic nutcase. I think we can handle an evil blackmailing stepfather."

Aria gave him a knowing look. But she knew deep down she wouldn't be able to keep them away, even if she wanted to. Aria gave Joey a curt nod. "Glad to have some help for once."

"Great!" Tristan exclaimed. "So where can we get ourselves some cold hard evidence?" he said rubbing his hands together.

Aria knew where they had to go and she didn't like it. "Looks like it's about time I paid my stepfather a visit."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 **A/N:** I'm just going to place this extremely late chapter right here. _Suddenly runs and hides behind a couch._

The room had gone silent again over Aria's proclamation of going to her stepfather's.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tristan queried. "I mean, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would willingly hand over evidence to his possible indictment."

"Do we even know what kind of evidence we're lookin' for?" Joey added.

Aria thought for a moment. "It has to be something connecting my stepfather with the mastermind behind this all. Once we know who that is, then we'll have something substantial to take to Kaiba."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well," Téa said, "Then we need a plan to break into his house and steal some evidence. Where would be the most likely place to look?" Téa asked turning to Aria.

"His study, definitely," Aria responded.

"Then we break in there, grab whatever it is we're lookin' for and scat!" Joey said, jumping up while punching the air.

"Woah, hold on a second there," Tristan interjected. "You do know what we're going to do is highly illegal right? How bout we do it without anyone finding out."

"Right...that's what I meant," Joey said sheepishly.

Aria quirked an amusing brow as he sat back down. "I may have a way of getting in unnoticed. We just have to make sure that Riku is out of the house."

"So, we stakeout the house, wait for him to drive away and then you make your move. If he comes back we shoot you a text," Joey explained nonchalantly.

Aria blinked at him in surprise. "Huh…" she said thoughtfully. "For being quite simple, it sounds pretty good actually."

Joey leaned back on the couch with his hands behind his head, a smug look on his face. "Hey, whattya expect? I'm more than just a pretty face."

A hand whacked him from behind the head.

"You mean more than pretty idiotic," Téa said irritatedly.

Chuckles rippled throughout the group as Joey uncomfortably rubbed the back of his head, while shooting Téa an annoyed glance.

"Well I guess that settles it then," Yugi said, speaking up for the first time. "This weekend we'll get that evidence and exonerate Aria's name."

Everyone but Aria nodded their head in agreement.

"Hold up a second guys," Aria said with a raised hand. "As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, you don't have to be involved with this. I am perfectly capable of doing this on my own."

Téa grabbed Aria's hand and pulled it down. "Haven't you learned anything about this group of friends by now?" Téa said sincerely. "We stick together, no matter what dangers might lie ahead."

Aria's eyes softened. "But Tristan is right, this is highly illegal. What if you get thrown in jail because of me?"

"Hey, haven't you heard that old saying?" Joey asked, "A good friend may bail you out, but it's your best friend who's sitting in the cell with you."

A small laugh escaped Aria at Joey's logic. "I don't think that's a real saying Joe."

"Whatever, the point is we're your best friends Ari, so don't try and change our minds, it ain't gonna work."

Aria gave a reluctant nod. She wasn't used to having people help _her_ , or having to depend on others for help. For the past five years, it had only ever been her, with no one around to go to in a time of need. Tears pricked her eyes as she wondered at the people sitting around her. After her mom had passed, Aria had stopped believing that someone would come along who cared about her as much as her mom did. Even with Kaiba now out of the picture, she was still not alone and surrounded by people who loved her.

"Alright, enough of the heart to heart talk," Tristan said, breaking the silence. "Some of us still have to work tomorrow, so I'm going to hit the hay."

"Yeah, I should probably be heading home too," Yugi said with a yawn.

Slowly, everyone started getting up, getting ready to either head home or head to bed. One by one the room slowly emptied till only Téa and Aria remained. When Téa made no move to leave, Aria gave an exaggerated yawn hoping that she would get the message. Aria had had enough talk for tonight, she didn't know if she could handle anymore.

"Aria…"

Aria started at Téa's soft almost sad tone. Looking at her, she noticed that Téa sat with her elbows propped up on her knees, her face cradled in her hands. But it was her expression that made Aria's heart drop. Téa was looking up at her with such sympathy that it almost seemed...sorrowful.

"Aria," Téa began again, "There's something that was greatly overlooked in all of this." Téa smiled wistfully to herself. "Something I'm not surprised the guys failed to notice."

Aria sat down beside her on the couch. "And what would that be Téa?"

"How you're dealing with the break-up from Kaiba."

Aria opened her mouth to refute Téa's statement but she interrupted her first.

"I know you guys weren't actually dating, but you had grown considerably close over the summer. And he just threw you out of his office. Which, by the way, I'm pretty sure you left out half the things that were actually said in there," Téa said with a pointed look.

Aria aimed her gaze down at her shoes. It was true that she had omitted a lot of the conversation between her and Kaiba when retelling the story to her friends, but she just couldn't let them think that he was this horrible person for saying those things to her. There was a part of her that wanted to belittle him in front of her friends, but the more rational part knew that Kaiba was only lashing out because he had been deeply hurt. Aria knew how hard it was for him to let people in, to actually _trust_ someone outside of his family. And then to think that that person had betrayed him? Aria was surprised he had let her go so easily.

"It doesn't matter what he said," Aria replied, while still looking at her shoes. "He's not a bad person Téa. He thinks that he was betrayed in the worst possible way by the first person he had ever let in besides Mokuba. Do you have any idea how that must feel to him right now?"

When Aria finally chanced a glance at Téa, she saw that her eyes had considerably softened.

"You're pretty amazing to still defend him after tonight," Téa said.

"I just understand him better that's all." Aria let out a soft grunt. "And to stop Joey from running off after him. You know how the big brother in him gets."

Téa laughed. "Yup, he does get pretty protective alright." As her laughter died, Téa suddenly grew somber. "I guess what I want to know is, are you hoping to reconcile with him once your name is cleared."

Aria leaned her head back against the couch, starting up at the ceiling in thought. "To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it. I'm more focused on being able to move on with my life in the way that I want."

"Still though…" Téa said hesitantly, "Don't you want to get back together?"

"On the surface I do," Aria replied, "But deep down I see that Kaiba still has a lot of trust issues." Aria turned to Téa with watery eyes. "He didn't even give me a chance to explain myself. He immediately thought that I was the culprit, not believing one word I said." She covered her arm over her eyes in an attempt to try and steady herself. "What's to stop it from happening again?" She felt a comforting hand be placed on her shoulder.

"I can understand your distrust," Téa said softly. "Kaiba wasn't the only one whose feelings were betrayed. Only you can decide if you want to let him back in again."

Aria lowered her arm, tear stains marking her sleeve. She gave Téa a shaky nod and even attempted a small smile, for words were too far gone now.

Téa opened her arms up to Aria who gratefully went into them. It was then that the tears that had been held back that night all began to fall.

 **000**

A cacophony of voices surrounded him, yet he couldn't make a single one out. Here he was sitting in on a very important meeting, that _he_ had called, and yet his mind wasn't engaged. It was a thousand miles elsewhere, replaying over and over again the conversation that could've gone a million different ways. What if he had believed her words? Where then would they be? Or would he only be further into her deception? The thought put his teeth on edge.

"Mr. Kaiba!"

Kaiba slowly looked over at the speaker, his Vice President of Operations. A very irked expression covered his features. It was obvious that Kaiba had not been paying any attention and it showed on the other faces around the boardroom.

"Mr. Kaiba," his VP continued in forced civility, "With the hacker emergency dealt with, can we now focus on taking Duel Monsters Online to the next step so that we can work on building a prototype as soon as possible?"

Now Kaiba remembered why he had called this meeting. "Of course," Kaiba answered tersely.

The VP narrowed his eyes at Kaiba. "Then maybe you could be so kind as to take part in our meeting so that we can achieve this goal."

Kaiba's fists tightened on top of the table. He couldn't remember the last time one of his VP's treated him like an inattentive adolescent. And he didn't like it one bit. A scathing retort was hovering on his lips when his secretary walked into the room.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba didn't know whether to be relieved or angered by the interruption.

"What is it?"

"A very urgent matter has come up and is in need of your attention."

Kaiba continued to glower at his VP, trying to decide if this "urgent" matter was worth leaving the meeting over. Wordlessly getting up, Kaiba left the boardroom and headed into his office. When it came down to it, he didn't have a valid reason in which to respond to the VP. He had been distracted during the meeting and hadn't heard one word that was spoken.

Kaiba sat down in his desk, waiting for his secretary to catch up with him. "So what was so important?" he bit out.

"Nothing," she calmly replied. "It looked like the right time to pull you out of there before the wolves started tearing their claws into you."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at her boldness but decided not to comment. Afterall, he really had been about to be torn to pieces. And that would not have been good for his reputation as the ruthless CEO that he liked to uphold.

"But now that you are out of that meeting, you can focus on those things in which have your mind so preoccupied." His secretary allowed a few potent seconds to pass before turning on her heel and heading back to her desk.

Kaiba scowled at her retreating back, for her pointed comment had found its mark. "Send Roland up to see me."

Mrs. Davidson paused only to glance back and give a small nod. Then she left the room and softly closed the door behind her.

Letting out a huff of air, Kaiba sagged into his chair trying to organize his thoughts. Even though all the evidence pointed to Aria as the culprit, Kaiba had not been able to find peace with the whole situation. To the point where it was greatly affecting his work habits. It may just be his personal feelings infringing on his common sense, but until he could figure out for sure, he was going to need some help.

Just then Roland entered with a soft knock on the door. "How can I be of service sir?" he said in his ever professional manner.

Kaiba knew that if anyone could get to the bottom of this mess, it was Roland. "I want you to reopen the insider case," he stated simply, waiting for Roland's reaction before continuing.

Roland simply lifted an eyebrow at his boss's command but remained silent.

"Something's not adding up, it was almost too easy catching the culprit. I want you to go over our data with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that nothing was overlooked. Anything that looks remotely suspicious I want you to bring to me."

"Should I operate under the impression that the culprit might still be at large?" Roland asked.

Kaiba levelled a stare at his most trusted employee. Was Roland insinuating that Kaiba thought Aria was framed? Did it matter? "I want you to operate under no impressions. Let the data lead you to your conclusions."

Roland gave a short bow and as his usual exit, left without another word.

Kaiba let out a breathe he didn't realize he had been holding in. With one base covered, he turned to the next, the infamous USB drive. Again he thought about where it could have come from, Kaiba Corp didn't even have USB's that could store this much information. It couldn't have been Aria's stepfather, he wouldn't have had the means. No, this must have come from higher up, the person who was really behind it all.

Through all of his anger towards Aria, Kaiba almost forgot about the elusive mastermind who was supposed to be behind this whole scheme. If Kaiba did thwart his plans of stealing the files, wouldn't he try again? The thought made Kaiba's blood boil. No matter what it took, he would find the blackguard who thought he could steal from Seto Kaiba.

Fueled by his anger, Kaiba began researching on his computer to find out more about the USB drive. As he worked, his ire ebbed a little as it was replaced with the thought that if it was discovered that Aria was innocent, then maybe there could still be hope for them.

 **000**

"Ouch, you're on my foot!"

Aria and the gang were huddled outside her stepfather's house, trying to hide inconspicuously behind a bush. With five people it wasn't going too well. Thankfully it was late in the night when not too many people were milling about.

"It's not like I have much choice!" Tristan harshly whispered back to Téa.

"You know you didn't all have to come, one person would have sufficed," Aria mumbled.

Joey nudged her shoulder. "And miss all the action? Nah, we're all in this together."

Téa snickered. "And I thought I was the one who gave the corny friendship speeches."

"Just don't ask us to put all of our hands in and draw weird symbols on them," Joey retorted.

"Shh!" Aria hushed, "I think I see the garage door opening."

Sure enough, a black sedan pulled out of the driveway with Riku behind the wheel, and sped off down the street.

"Okay," Aria said turning to them, "I'll check my bedroom window first and if that's locked I'll have to run around back and hope to find an unlocked window or door on the first floor."

"We got your back Aria," Yugi whispered. "Just make sure you get out as soon as you find what you need."

Aria looked back into Yugi's unwavering gaze and gave him a solemn nod. She knew she was risking a lot breaking into her old home and that getting caught was not an option.

"We'll text you the minute we see that car coming up the road," Joey affirmed.

Aria nodded then double checked that she had her phone securely on her person and that it was set to vibrate only.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Aria gave a small wave and quickly ran to the other side of the road. As she walked up the drive, she was thankful that most of the lights in the neighbouring houses were off. As she reached the trellis, she grabbed onto the familiar holds, her body quickly remembering the climb she had done over a dozen times.

Upon reaching her window, Aria sent up a silent prayer as she attempted to lift it. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as the window easily slid open. Stepping into her old room, a touch of homesickness pricked at her conscience. The room appeared virtually untouched, even in the darkness of night, it looked as if she had just packed up and left yesterday instead of weeks ago.

Shaking the feeling of nostalgia, Aria exited the room, turning on her cell phone flashlight as she went. She didn't have time to dwell on sentimental memories. Heading down to the first floor, Aria immediately went to her stepfathers study. If she couldn't find any evidence in there, then she would search the rest of the house; if there was time.

Entering through the door, the familiar smell of smoke and alcohol wafted about her. Not daring to turn on any lights, Aria flashed the light onto Riku's desk. Not a scrap of paper sat on it. Going behind she tried to open the drawers. _Locked!_ Just as she was about to turn around to try his computer, her phone buzzed.

 _Riku's home! Get out!_

Fear seized Aria's chest. How could he be home so soon? Panicking, Aria turned quickly to rush out the door. But in trying to skirt around the desk, her feet quickly became tangled, sending her crashing to the floor. Her phone shot out of her hand and went flying across the room, the light spiraling over the dark walls. Scrambling to her feet, Aria groped with shaky hands, trying to pick it back up. By the time she had gotten a firm handle on it again, she heard the telltale signs of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. Her time had run out.

Scanning around the room, Aria searched frantically for a place to hide. Her eyes stopped upon a door beside the entryway. Without a second to think, she dashed to it, praying there was enough room inside for her. Yanking it open, she was relieved to see it was a coat closet, lined with Riku's many formal suit jackets. Pressing herself into them, Aria tried to close the closet door as quietly as she could.

A few seconds of silence passed as Aria willed her breathing to become slow and even. She heard a soft click and then footsteps, followed by the thud of a closing door. Aria pressed her hand over her nose and mouth to quiet her haggard breathing. Unfortunately there was nothing she could do about the heartbeat that was thundering in her ears.

It was hard to hear through a closed door, but Aria strained anyway to catch any signs of what her stepfather might be doing. Was that the beep of his computer turning on? Aria placed her hand on the door handle, biting her lip in apprehension as she tried to decide if it was worth the risk. Then Riku's deep voice spoke, though slightly muffled came across quite clearly.

"You better have a good reason to be calling me at this hour."

Aria only barely caught traces of a muffled response, even with her ear pressed against the door, she couldn't make out what the other voice was saying.

"There was no need for you to intervene, I could have gotten the plans on my own."

Aria's mind went on high alert. This had to be the criminal mastermind they've been after all along! With renewed determination, Aria again placed her hand on the handle, and slowly began to turn it. With the latch all the way open, Aria gently pushed the door open.

Light from the computer screen filled her vision, but as her eyes adjusted she could see Riku's back with the monitor in front of him. Squinting due to the distance, she could just make out the profile of man who looked like was wearing a red blazer. One feature she could definitely make out was his long silver hair, but his facial features were blurry. He definitely felt familiar to her, but why?

"I don't want Kaiba to come snooping around Fenrir Inc," Riku continued.

"Don't worry Mr. Ito," a musical voice responded. "You just leave Kaiba-boy to me."

 **A/N: Yes I'm still here and the story is still going! Yay! Going to try really hard to keep writing and to keep the updates coming. I want to see this story completed just as much as you do! Review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 _Kaiba-boy?_ Aria couldn't think of anyone who would be so bold as to call Kaiba by that name. She would have to remember to ask the gang about it later.

"You still haven't told me why you demanded this call," Riku said gruffly.

"Oh yes, how rude of me," the man answered, flipping back his long hair. "I wanted to send over the data on our latest development. My technicians have finished the preliminaries and now we just await on your software."

Riku grunted in response.

"If you insert the USB I gave you, I'll transmit the files," continued the sing-song voice.

Riku's hand ruffled in his suit pocket for a second, pulled out the USB and plugged it into the computer.

"The files are quite extensive so it may take awhile," the man continued. He added in a low tone, "I'm taking a big risk on you Ito, don't make me regret it." Then the screen suddenly went blank.

Aria quietly closed the closet door, she only hoped that her stepfather wasn't going to wait around for those files to download. If she could get her hands on that USB drive, then she would definitely have some hard evidence to take to Kaiba. Curiosity gripped Aria at what could possibly be on those files. What development could Riku and this man be working on together? She knew it had to do with something with Duel Monsters Online.

Aria listened intently for any signs of movement in the room. Maybe if Riku left to back to his club, she could wait for the files to finish downloading and then take the USB drive. She grimaced at the thought of Riku discovering the files missing. Would he suspect her? She'd need to act fast lest he come looking for her. Her body stilled as she heard muffled movements move about in the room. She could feel perspiration begin to form on her forehead and the back of her neck from being stuck in such close quarters. Then she heard footsteps become gradually louder. Her stomach leapt up into her throat as she saw a shadow fall underneath the door.

Seconds passed. Aria waited for the door to be flung open. Just as she was bracing herself to get ready to run out the door, a sharp ring pierced the air.

"What?" Riku growled.

Aria held her breath. Who would be calling him at this time of night?

"What do you mean our main server is down!" he yelled. "I just got the files tonight! We were supposed to start programming first thing in the morning!"

Silence ensued, which Aria guessed was the person on the other end trying to offer up reasons for the setback.

"You're all useless. I'll be in immediately. You know how much is riding on this, so you better start working on a solution!"

The shadow fell away from the door as loud footsteps thudded away, followed by the slamming of a door. Aria didn't move, making sure first that Riku wasn't coming back. After a few minutes, Aria slowly opened the door, pausing halfway to listen for any sounds in the house. When she found nothing but silence she walked fully back into the study.

Heading over to the computer, Aria leaned over to read the pop-up on the screen.

 _Downloading...5% Estimated Time: 1 hour_

Aria frowned at the amount time until the download was complete, but knew it could've been much worse. It could've been all night. She reached for her cell phone and immediately called Téa. She picked up on the first ring.

"Thank heavens!" Téa exclaimed, causing Aria to pull her ear a little away from the phone. "What happened? We were freaking out when we saw Riku suddenly pull up the street. And then you didn't you come out or answer our text-"

"Slow down Téa, I'm fine," Aria reassured her. "I'm guessing by your tone that you saw Riku leave the house again?"

"Oh, yes, he just left. Joey was ready to go busting down the door after we saw him drive away. He thought you might be caught and tied up or something. And for once, I think we were actually going to let him. That's how scared we were for you Ari."

Aria smiled at her friend's concern. "I'm sorry to worry you guys, but I'm going to ask you to let me stay in here a little bit longer."

"You mean you're not coming out!" Téa yelled back. "Ari, you need to get out now while you have a window. No amount of evidence is worth this."

"Téa, I can't just sit by and let my stepfather get away with this. It's not just about me anymore." Aria paused and took a breath to steady her voice. "Look, I overheard Riku getting called away for a big emergency at Fenrir. He might be gone all night, and all I need is one hour. Then I'll be right out."

The phone had gone so silent that Aria had to check the screen to make sure that she was still connected.

"One hour Aria," Téa finally answered. "The second we tell you that Riku is coming, you better be getting out of there."

Aria sagged in relief. "Definitely, you have my word."

"Stay safe." The phone beeped as the call ended.

Aria pocketed her phone and went to check again on the progress bar. _7%._ She huffed in annoyance at the speed of the download. She bet one of Seto's computers could download it in a quarter of the time.

Aria's breath suddenly hitched at her mental slipup. After all the things he had said to her, how could she just think about him so nonchalantly? Now feeling even more frustrated, Aria dropped down onto the floor, getting comfortable for a long wait. Although the desk chair looked much more inviting, Aria didn't want to touch anything that might tip off Riku that she was here.

With only silence to fill the room, Aria tried to think of ways in which she could occupy herself to help pass the time. She was too afraid to surf on her phone and possibly drain the battery. Sighing, she reclined back on her hands, accepting that there was simply nothing to do but wait.

A pair of cold blue eyes flashed in Aria's mind, but she shoved the unwanted image away. She was not going to sit here and pine over Kaiba. Whatever trust she thought they had created was obviously not real. She still couldn't believe that Kaiba thought she could betray him like that. But then again, she was the one who fell for the cold-hearted scoundrel. How did she ever believe different?

Just as the thought left her mind, another one came unbidden. Mokuba. Aria buried her face in her hands, not wanting to think about the little boy who was all things good and pure. And the fact that he was Kaiba's little brother. How was it even possible that they were related?

But Aria knew the answer to that too. Kaiba had taken it upon himself to become the parent, the protector. Which meant that at a very young age, Kaiba was thrust into adulthood, while Mokuba was shielded from having to carry any of that burden. Aria could see how having basically no childhood would turn Kaiba into a cold, unfeeling human, while Mokuba got to thrive and enjoy his time of youth. Was _still_ enjoying.

And that's the side that shook Aria's prejudices against Kaiba. Seeing him take Mokuba out for Friday night pizza when she was sure Kaiba would have rather have been at work. Or taking him to the carnival, when it must have irritated him to no end to be on such a tacky outing. Kaiba not only worked hard to make Kaiba Corp the most successful gaming company in Japan, but he also made sure that Mokuba got to experience a proper childhood. The one he never got to have.

Aria hunched up knees and laid her head down on top. What did any of it matter anyway? Kaiba had made it perfectly clear what he thought of her. It looked like Mokuba was the only exception to gaining Kaiba's affection and trust. And even in that she could see that Mokuba didn't spend as much time with his big brother as he would like.

Aria stood quickly, her frustration mounting. She needed to get over this infatuation with Kaiba. It obviously didn't work and it wasn't _going_ to work. She walked back over to the computer and looked at the screen.

 _Downloading...75% Estimated Time: 15 minutes_

One thing Aria did know for sure; she couldn't take the stolen files to Kaiba herself. She would have to get it to him anonymously. It no longer mattered if he knew of her innocence or not. Aria would find a way to become a programmer, even if it meant leaving the country. Except for her friends, there was nothing tying her to Japan anymore. From now on, she would make her own destiny.

 **000**

"Wait! I think I see her coming out of her bedroom window!" Téa exclaimed, pointing up at the house. Sure enough, a small figure had emerged from a second story window and was making their way down the trellis. "Any sign of Riku?"

"We're good," Tristan replied, looking through a pair of binoculars. "Street is totally dead."

In a few minutes, Aria was up the drive and across the road where she was captured in a bone crushing hug from Téa. However, once Téa had let go, she was immediately shaken by the shoulders.

"What were you thinking staying so long in there?" Téa shouted.

"Easy Téa," Yugi said, trying to get some space between the two girls. "The important thing is that Aria is here safe and she got what she came for." Yugi looked at Aria. "Right?"

Aria nodded and held up the USB key that held the illicit plans. "We don't have much time. I need to see what's on these files before Riku sends out the hounds."

"Then let's hightail back to the apartment where's there's a computer," Joey interjected.

Aria shook her head. "I don't want this anywhere near where it can be traced back to us. For all I know, there could be a tracker placed on it."

Tristan snapped his fingers. "I know! There's a little 24-hour internet cafe not too far away that we can take it to."

"Perfect!" Aria exclaimed.

"Not too shabby Tristan," Joey said, wrapping his arm around Tristan's neck and rubbing his fist into his hair. "I knew there was a brain in there somewhere."

"Cut it out!" Tristan said, shoving Joey off while everyone else laughed at their antics.

Walking a few blocks over, they hailed a cab, driving to the address that Tristan gave to the driver. Within ten minutes, they were standing outside a drab-looking cafe with a green neon sign that read "Cyber Cafe".

"Not exactly what I was picturin'," Joey said scratching his head.

"No, this is perfect," Téa said. "No one would think to look for us here." She approached the front door and held it open for everyone to enter.

Aria took in her surroundings as she walked in. One side of the small room had a counter space with a cash register and a sparse assortment of baked goods. One lone coffee machine sat behind. The opposite side held three ancient looking computers, two of which were already occupied. A mishmash of tables sat in between. Aria rushed over to claim the final computer.

Sitting down, Aria became apprehensive that the computer would be able to handle the level of technology that sat in her coat pocket. With everyone else standing behind her, Aria reached into her pocket and plugged the key into the USB port. A pop-up immediately appeared. Aria groaned. "It says we need to input a credit card in order to pay for our time. That would be easily traceable."

"No worries," Tristan said, "I'll just pay cash at the front and the owner will give us a login password." Tristan turned around and walked back over the cash register.

"Do you think this computer will be able to read any of the files on the USB?" Yugi asked Aria skeptically.

"I don't know," Aria answered honestly. "I'm hoping we'll be able to open at least one file that will give us some idea of what kind of project my stepfather is working on."

"You never did explain how you got this USB of stolen files. Did Riku walk in on you?" Téa asked.

So Aria told to them how she had hidden in a coat closet while listening in on a private video call. "That's why I needed one more hour. For the files to download," Aria explained.

"Did you not recognize the man your stepfather was talking to?" Yugi asked.

Aria shook her head. "He definitely felt familiar to me, but all I could make out was a red coat and that he had long silver hair."

"Not really a lot to go on," Téa said dejectedly.

"There was one more thing," Aria said remembering, "He called Kaiba by a peculiar name. It was kinda weird."

"Do you remember what it was?" Joey asked.

Aria searched her memory. "I think it was something like...Kaiba-boy?"

Her friends suddenly went silent. Aria shrank back at their wide-eyed expressions. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Got it!" Tristan said, walking over waving a piece of paper. But when he saw the stunned looks, he too went quiet. "Did I miss something?"

"We just figured out who's been working with Aria's stepfather," Joey said crossing his arms. "Don't we Yugi?"

"Mhm," Yugi said nodding his head, "The same person who calls me Yugi-boy."

"Woah, you can't mean Pegasus!" Tristan exclaimed.

It was Aria's eyes turn to widen. "You can't mean Maximillion Pegasus! Of Industrial Illusions?" Aria said incredulously.

"The very same," Yugi confirmed.

Aria leaned back into her chair, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. "I think this is way bigger than any of us realized," Aria choked out. How was she supposed to go up against one of the most powerful men in the world? A flash of white suddenly appeared in Aria's peripheral vision. Looking over, she saw Tristan holding out the piece of paper with the login password.

"Don't be discouraged now Aria," Tristan said softly. "We've dealt with Pegasus before and we can best him again. Let's finish this, like we said we would."

Aria looked into each of the faces standing around her, all looking back with a firm look of resolve. Aria may be in over her head, but she knew she didn't have to do it alone. She was backed by an amazing group of friends who have proven time and time again that they would support her right through till the end.

Aria snatched the paper from Tristan's hand and typed in the password. Once logged in, Aria pulled up the files on the USB. Hundreds of files appeared on the screen, most were encrypted or unable to be opened without the proper software. Then she saw one file titled "Visor Prototypes" and was in a JPEG format. Clicking it open, an image of what looked like a motorcyclist's helmet filled the screen. The helmet was more triangular than round, and had a transparent shield over the eyes. Clicking through the images, most were of similar content, with only a few deviations made to the helmet. The last image was different, in that instead of a helmet, it was a picture of what looked like an earpiece with a lens stretching over one eye.

"Any idea what we're looking at?" Téa asked, as she leaned over Aria's shoulder to get a better look at the pictures.

"I'm not entirely sure," Aria said slowly. "I know Kaiba wasn't going to use a Virtual Reality headset for his project, he instead wanted to expand on the holographic technology he's so well known for."

"I think what we're seeing here is Pegasus creating his own technology to use with Kaiba's project," a deep voice said from behind.

Aria glanced back to find herself staring into Pharoah's eyes. "I think you might be right."

"But why do that when he could've just used Kaiba's?" Joey asked.

Aria thought for a moment. "I think it may have something to do with that Pegasus wouldn't have access to the basic programming of Kaiba's holographic technology. The hologram programming I was working on was only an extension of an already existing scheme."

"Okay…" Joey said, looking like he did not completely understand everything Aria just said, "Then why don't we hightail out of here and get this USB key to Kaiba already?"

Aria turned back to the computer screen, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not taking it back to Kaiba."

A few seconds of silence passed, making Aria wonder if her friends had heard her at all. But then they all started speaking at once.

"What are you talking about?"

"How could you not after all that we just went through to get it?"

"Why?"

Aria waited patiently for everyone to quiet down. When they had finally exhausted their questions, Aria got up and motioned over to one of the tables. "How about some coffee? I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

Everyone stared at her like she had just grown three heads, except for Pharaoh who wore an amused expression on his face. Aria didn't think anything surprised that guy.

After ordering some coffee and sitting down, Aria folded her hands in front of her. "I'm still going to get the USB drive to Kaiba Corp, just not to Kaiba directly." Aria took a deep breathe, taking time to organize the thoughts she had formulated while in her stepfather's study. "Kaiba has made his decision regarding me. And I have decided that it no longer matters what he thinks of me." Aria could feel the tears begin to blur her vision, but she willed them away. This was not the time. "These files rightfully belong to Kaiba Corp, and I want to get them back, but I strongly feel that I need to cut all ties with Kaiba. After the things he said to me…"

Aria had to stop as a sob built up in her throat. It was too painful to say out loud. She felt a hand squeeze her clasped ones. Looking up, she saw Téa gazing intently at her.

"We get it Ari," Téa said consolingly.

"Did you have someone in mind who we could take the files to?" Tristan asked.

The question caused Aria to let out a humorless laugh. "I do actually and I don't think he's going to be too happy to see me."

 **000**

Kaiba walked briskly down the dark corridors of Kaiba Corp's lowest level. Even though it was 2 a.m. in the morning, Kaiba was alert and ready to face whatever it was that Roland had found down in the mainframe. When his call had come through, Kaiba, as usual, was working away in his office.

Sleep had been pretty evasive for the CEO the past few nights and work seemed to be the only thing that could keep his mind from replaying the scene of him throwing Aria out of his office over and over again.

Although Kaiba looked his usual stoic character, internally his insides were churning. What if what Roland found proved Aria's innocence? But then again, it could also prove that she had been the guilty party all along. He didn't know which scenario was worse. Aria being innocent meant that how he had treated her was reprehensible, and that he hadn't believed her honesty. Aria being guilty meant that she really had betrayed him in the worst possible way, and that any feelings she showed for him were probably false. Neither option lead to the restoration of their relationship.

Seto arrived at the door but paused when his hand reached the handle. Whatever evidence the room held, Kaiba knew that Aria never deserved his harsh words. Even if she had been playing him, Kaiba's feelings for her had been real. Maybe if he had dealt with the situation more delicately, he could have figured out why she chose to betray him. Kaiba almost let out a dry laugh. If Gozaburo could hear his thoughts now, he'd be rolling in his grave.

Kaiba pushed his way into the room, causing Roland and a technician to look up. Kaiba stood behind them, arms crossed. "This better be good Roland."

Roland nodded. "It is sir. It seems that we have discovered a second breach."

Surprise registered in Kaiba's mind but didn't allow it to show externally. "Explain."

Roland motioned for the technician to bring up a schematic of the computer mainframe.

"This is a replay of us trying to block the virus as it attempted to penetrate our systems." Roland pointed to a group of what looked like a complex maze of wiring. He pointed to a different group of code. "When all of a sudden the virus disappeared and a hole appeared with all of the secret project files missing."

"Spare me the recap Roland, what's your point?"

"Well sir, I found it odd that the files would go missing when it seemed that the virus never actually got through our firewalls. It just simply vanished." Roland turned to face Kaiba. "I had our technicians go through the network with a fine tooth comb to see if anything else looked suspicious. This is what we found."

The technician began to type fervently on the keyboard. Kaiba watched as the screen zoomed in on cluster of coding, and then zoomed in some more and then again. Kaiba lifted an eyebrow in interest. "What exactly are we looking at?"

Roland pointed to a section on the screen that Kaiba had to squint in order to see. "We discovered a second virus, and this one was definitely successful in invading our mainframe."

Kaiba went totally still. A second virus? But that would mean… "The first virus was merely a distraction," Kaiba stated. He could now see the pieces begin to fall into place. "Do we know if another copy of the files left the system?"

"We do," Roland said. "However, it seems impossible to know where they exited. This virus is not something we have ever seen before. The size and intricacies of it are incomprehensible."

A second set of files gone. Didn't Aria warn Kaiba that someone out there still had the plans? She had been the scapegoat all along. Someone had been setting her up to take the fall, so that when the files went missing, Kaiba had someone to blame, and would no longer be looking for the thief.

Kaiba closed his eyes as all of these realizations took over. If people thought Kaiba had nothing but ice in his heart, it was nothing compared to the icicles that were now stabbing him in the chest. What had he done?

 _Aria...I am so sorry._

 ** _A/N: Yes! Another update! Just want to give a huge thank you for all the reviews I received. I have been pushing and pushing myself to write so that we don't see another 3 month hiatus. Thanks again!_**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

It was 6 am. The gang now stood outside a modest size house, with black shutters and a white picket fence. Aria could feel the exhaustion creep up behind her eyelids but she forced her eyes to stay alert. She needed to finish this now. With the USB stick handed off, then she would be done with Kaiba Corp for good. Done with Kaiba.

A lump formed in her throat at the thought of never seeing Seto again, but Aria knew it was for the best. If he didn't trust her now, then he never would.

"Are you sure about this Aria?" Joey asked. "I mean, doesn't this guy like, hate your guts?"

"I'm with Joey on this one Ari," Téa said, "How do you know he's not just going to slam the door in your face?"

"I don't," Aria said with a shrug. "But he is the one person who knows of my innocence. Langley knowingly lied to Kaiba about my alibi. He knows that I was with him when the virus first invaded the system."

"Uh, isn't that all the more reason not to go to this guy?" Tristan asked skeptically.

Aria knew it was a huge gamble going to Hubert Langley with Pegasus's files, but he had proven himself to be loyal to Kaiba, even if he did lie to him about Aria's alibi. The point was that she trusted Langley enough to get these files to Kaiba and that was all that mattered.

"Wish me luck," was all Aria said then started up the front path towards the door. She assumed Langley would be up at this hour but then again, it probably didn't matter as Riku might now be aware that his invaluable files are no longer in his possession.

Stepping up onto the porch, Aria approached the door and gave three firm knocks. Just in case he was still asleep. Aria started to fidget as she waited for Langley to answer the door. Now that she had to face her old supervisor again, she started to feel nervous at how he would receive her. But she didn't end up having time to reflect as she could hear the door being unlocked.

Aria inwardly braced herself, ready to make Langley listen before he could slam the door back in her face.

But it wasn't Langley who opened the door. A woman in a black pant suit with pale blonde hair stood in the entryway. "Yes, may I help you?" she asked with a small smile.

Aria blinked a few times, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. She wasn't expecting anyone else to be here. Langley couldn't be married, could he? Did sexist men have wives? Apparently so.

"Hi," Aria began when she had finally found her voice, "My name is Aria Ito, I...work for Mr. Langley at Kaiba Corp. Sorry for bothering you so early, but is Mr. Langley available? I need to discuss with him an important work matter."

The woman's smile slightly faltered and gave Aria a quizzical look. Aria fidgeted under her gaze. She was sure her appearance was slightly more than disheveled. After getting just a few hours sleep on Téa's shoulder at the cafe, Aria had attempted to tidy herself in the restroom with little success.

"I'll just check to see if he's available," the woman said, closing the door, leaving Aria standing awkwardly on the front porch. Her nerves came back tenfold at the thought that Langley might refuse to come to the door. Who could she possibly go to next? Who could she trust? Far as she knew, Tenzin was still at Kaiba Corp. He needed to be caught before he disappeared for good.

Lost in her thoughts, Aria was startled when the front door was flung open more forcefully, revealing a harried looking Hubert Langley. Aria was caught off guard by Mr. Langley's attire. Gone was the crisp white shirt and black slacks. Instead he wore a pale green bathrobe that was tied at the waist, and half-slippers to match.

"I didn't believe my wife when she told me who was at the door," Langley said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You're not here to try and get your job back are you?"

Aria's spine stiffened at his tone. She leveled her gaze back at him. "I'm here because Kaiba Corp's project is still in jeopardy. There's still a rat nested there and you of all people know that it wasn't me to begin with."

Langley's jaw twitched. At his silence, Aria continued.

"I have evidence that reveals the true culprit behind the virus attack." Aria raised the USB key that held her stepfather's stolen files.

Langley suddenly straightened, interest marking his face as he eyed the data stick, but wariness still remained. Before he could respond, his wife walked up behind him, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm off to work, see you tonight." She gave a small smile to Aria as she descended the front steps and walked to an awaiting car in the driveway.

Langley watched and waited as his wife started the car and drove out of the driveway. When the car was out of sight he looked back to Aria. Letting out a bothered sigh, he stepped aside, holding the door open. "You might as well come in then."

Aria stepped inside, grateful that she had at least made it this far. She paused in the small foyer and slipped off her shoes onto a small mat. Langley turned and walked down a short hallway. Aria could only follow.

Slipping through an open door, Aria found herself in an immaculate but homey kitchen. Langley stood by the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He held out the pot towards her.

"Coffee?"

Aria was exhausted from the events of the last few days and a cup of coffee would definitely help get her through this meeting with Langley. "Please," she said.

As Langley poured another cup, the strangeness of the situation wasn't lost on Aria. Here she was in Langley's home about to share a cup of joe with him. After everything that had transpired between them, it was the normalcy of it all that she found unsettling.

After handing her the cup, Langley braced his hands on the counter and stared at her. Not darkly, but as if he was trying to sort out a puzzle. "Why come to me with this 'evidence'? Why not go straight to Mr. Kaiba?" he finally asked.

Aria took a tentative sip of her coffee. She almost sighed at how good it tasted. Much better than the stuff at the Cyber Cafe. She rested her mug on the counter, both hands wrapped around it. Staring into the dark coffee, she answered, "You are the only one who knows I'm truly innocent. To be honest, I doubt Kaiba would even agree to see me."

Glancing up at Langley she saw that he had averted his gaze. "Why did you lie to Kaiba that night?" Aria asked softly. "Didn't you know it would leave the company vulnerable with the real hacker still out there?"

Langley sighed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I was still angry with you from our conversation in the hallway." He paused to take a long drink of coffee then continued. "But I also wanted you gone from Kaiba Corp. I didn't think you deserved to be there."

"Why? Because I was a girl?"

Langley shook his head. "Because I thought you were just some greenhorn high school student."

"How can you say that?" Aria asked angrily. "All the people who work for you are men! There's not one single female programmer on the 10th floor, maybe even the whole building."

Langley gave a small chuckle. "You may not have noticed Miss Ito, but computer programming is a male dominated field. That will probably change in the next few years, but for now, the best programmers we have found just happened to have been men."

Aria couldn't believe what she was hearing. The whole time her gender ended up having nothing to do with the way Langley perceived her. Yes, he was wrong to judge her before knowing her computer skills, but she had wrongly judged him as well. Her face reddened in embarrassment upon realizing that her attitude towards him probably had not helped matters.

"What about Kaiba's opinion?" she asked suddenly. "Did you not trust his judgement when he decided I was good enough to be put on the team?"

"I thought Mr. Kaiba had put you there for...other reasons."

A flush now crept up Aria's neck. As hard as she tried, her feelings for Kaiba had been no secret. Hadn't she wondered herself if it was her programming abilities that got her on the team? "And what do you believe now?" she asked almost flippantly.

Langley finally looked up at her. "After you had been dismissed, I looked over your work for the holographic programming. And it was good. Really good. It was then that I realized I had let my personal feelings affect the project. I thought we could catch the hacker on our own."

Aria was speechless. She never thought she would hear repentance coming out of Langley's mouth, much less praise.

"But that's not why you are here," Langley said straightening. "Let's go see what's on that USB stick."

Aria followed Langley out the back of the kitchen that led into a study with two desks and two computers. Langley sat down at one and opened up his hand towards Aria. Aria handed him the USB. Peering more closely at it, Langley let out a disgruntled grunt. "It is unlike any USB drive I've ever seen. You never did say how you acquired this," Langley said with a raised brow.

"I stole it from my stepfather. Apparently he has been in cahoots with Maxamillion Pegasus in trying to steal Kaiba's new project."

"Of Industrial Illusions?" Langley asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," Aria answered with a shrug.

Langley shook his head and plugged the drive into the computer.

Aria looked over Langley's shoulder, eager to see what other files the drive held. Langley's computer looked more than capable of reading them.

Once the window for the USB popped up, Langley began clicking through files until finally pulling one up that contained lines and lines of code.

"Fascinating," Langley whispered as he scrolled through the script.

"What is?" Aria asked. The lines of code were moving too fast for her to decipher.

Langley stopped and leaned back in his chair, pointing at the screen he said, "What we have here is Industrial Illusions trying to take the concept of Duel Monsters Online and applying it to their own technology. It appears they are trying to develop a type of helmet or headset that allows the duelers to connect."

"We figured as much. Pegasus doesn't have access to Kaiba's holographic technology so he had to create his own way of bringing the duelers together." Aria straightened and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "The question is, why now?"

"What I think…" Langley said, pausing thoughtfully, "Is that Pegasus has no partnership with Kaiba Corp for Duel Monsters Online like he did with the holographic stadiums. Maybe he fears Kaiba taking over the world of Duel Monsters."

"And as it's creator, Pegasus can't have that," Aria said coolly.

Langley swiveled around in his office chair and faced Aria. "Are you sure you want me to take this to Mr. Kaiba? You really should be the one to do it."

Aria shook her head. "I need to cut all ties with Kaiba and Kaiba Corp. I don't need my name cleared, just a fresh start."

Langley sighed but nodded solemnly.

"Just one other thing," Aria said. "I would have Kaiba look deeper into Tenzin Cray from the team. I can't be 100% sure, but I am pretty certain that he is the rat at Kaiba Corp."

Langley nodded. "I'll be sure to let him know."

Aria put out her hand which Langley took to shake. "Thank you Mr. Langley. I'm sorry that our time together at Kaiba Corp had to be so...confrontational."

Langley gave a small smile. "As am I Miss Ito. I am glad, however, that we could clear the air between us." Crossing his arms over his chest, he asked, "Where do you plan on going from here then?"

"Wherever will take me the farthest away."

 **000**

Kaiba paced back and forth in his office. Unfinished work sat untouched on his desk. Papers that needed signing, reports that had to be reviewed. But for once, work was the farthest thing from Kaiba's mind.

As Kaiba walked from one end of his office to the other, he contemplated what to do about Aria. She was innocent, always had been. But what did he do about it now? Did he dare think that she could forgive him after the way he had treated her? Or was it best to let her go and let her move on with her life?

 _Gah!_ Kaiba flung himself down on the couch, cradling his head in his hands. _This woman has caused me way too much headache_ he growled to himself. But that was the point wasn't it? He had allowed Aria to cause him stress and strain, when normally he would have flung the person aside who dared annoy him. And it was there that he knew he had his answer.

A knock at the door brought Kaiba's attention back to the forefront. Before he could shout that he didn't want to be disturbed, Hubert Langley walked in. Kaiba found it odd to see Langley enter his office on his own accord and unannounced. Kaiba always approached Langley, it was never the other way around.

"What do you want Langley?" Kaiba asked standing up and walking over to his desk. "I'm busy." It was a gross understatement but fortunately Langley didn't know that.

"Sorry to disturb you Mr. Kaiba," Langley said bowing low. "But there are a few urgent matters that I need to discuss with you."

Interest piqued, Kaiba sat down behind his desk, his stoic mask put firmly in place.

Taking his silence as a cue to continue Langley said, "The first matter concerns Miss Ito."

Now Langley had Kaiba's full attention. "What about her?" Kaiba asked, not allowing any emotion to enter into his voice.

"I'm afraid I wasn't entirely truthful about her alibi…" Langley trailed off as sweat began to bead on his forehead. "I did encounter her in the hallway when the virus was first discovered. I apologize profusely sir for the deception. I had let my personal feelings get in the way."

Kaiba continued to stare at Langley, making him perspire even more. "Tell me why I shouldn't fire you right now Langley for lying to me. Not only did you falsely incriminate Miss Ito, but you also put this company in further risk of being compromised."

Langley swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing amply. "I can't give you a reason Mr. Kaiba for not dismissing me. My actions were reprehensible and I understand if you decide to terminate my employment."

Kaiba was slightly taken aback by Langley's response. He can't remember the last time the man acted so...humble. "What was the other urgent matter that you needed to speak to me about?" Kaiba said, deciding to ignore his response for now.

Letting out a small breath, Langley reached into his shirt pocket as he approached Kaiba's desk. Kaiba watched silently as he placed a USB key directly in front of him.

"What's this?" Kaiba asked picking up the key. But he already had some idea, for the same type of key sat in his desk drawer, the one Aria had been caught with that held the stolen files. But what was Langley doing with another one?

"On that USB drive you will find files that outline a technology that is being created to be used in conjunction with Duel Monsters Online," Langley explained.

Kaiba looked up sharply at Langley. He couldn't mean…

"And," Langley continued, "You will find that it has the fingerprints of Industrial Illusions all over it."

Kaiba went still. His mind reeling from all the information he just received. "You may go now Langley, we'll talk later about your infidelity to this company."

Langley's eyes fell but he nodded solemnly. "There was one other piece of information that I was given sir, that I think you'll find useful. There is...speculation that Tenzin Cray of the special assignment team may be the informant that you are looking for." With that he gave a small bow and headed back towards the door.

"Wait," Kaiba said, making Langley stop. Kaiba held up the USB key. "You didn't say how this came to be in your possession."

Langley turned around and looked Kaiba straight in the eye. "I was asked to turn it in anonymously. I'm sure you'll understand sir."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he detected a hidden message in Langley's tone. "Very well," was all Kaiba said. Langley gave one last nod then exited the office.

Kaiba plugged in the USB to his computer, eager to see what Pegasus had been plotting. Now that he finally knew the mastermind behind the attacks on his company, Kaiba could finally act. His fingers paused however over the keyboard. There was something else he had to do first. Something more important. He needed to see the person responsible for saving his company.

 **000**

"Ugh!" Aria exclaimed as she typed away on her laptop. It was the day after visiting Langley, and after a long overdue rest and hot shower, Aria was ready to plan her next steps. She was done wallowing in self-pity and regret. She needed to start moving forward.

"What's wrong?" Téa asked walking into the living room.

"Who knew flights out of Japan were so expensive! With these rates I'll have nothing to live off once I get to...wherever it is that I'm going."

Téa chuckled softly, sitting down beside Aria. "Maybe you should stay in Domino City for a while then and save up. You know that you'll always have a place to stay here."

Aria gave her friend a sad smile. She knew the gang wasn't crazy about her leaving the country but Aria knew she needed a fresh start. "As much as I love sleeping on your couch, you know I have to leave Téa. I keep expecting Riku to come pounding down on the door." Aria shook her head. "No, it's better that I leave now and not prolong it."

Téa sighed but didn't push the issue further. "Since you are so set on leaving then, I have one last favour to ask you."

Aria quirked a brow. "And that would be?" she asked.

Téa took a deep breath. "Prom."

"Prom? Like a high school prom?" Aria asked confused.

"Not just _a_ high school prom, but _our_ high school prom!"

"Isn't that supposed to take place at the end of the school year?" Aria asked. "There's only two weeks of summer left."

Téa rolled her eyes. "Because we go to some high class preppy school, they do it at the end of summer. Don't you pay attention to these things?"

Aria laughed. "This summer has been kind of crazy for me in case you haven't noticed."

Téa's shoulders slumped. "Which I think is exactly why you need to go with us. Not only because you're leaving, but to go out and have a night of fun where you can just act your age. No blackmail or secret informants, just Aria."

Aria smiled. "Alright Téa, I'll do it for you, but I doubt I'll feel up for much dancing."

"No dancing required," Téa said with a wave of her hand, "I just want you there."

Aria leaned over and gave Téa a one-armed hug. "So when is this anyway?"

Téa bit her lower lip. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" Aria exclaimed. "But I have nothing to wear!"

"That's why I came and told you now. I'm going to drag you out to all the thrift stores till we find the perfect dress."

"Well at least you're helping me be frugal about it," Aria said laughing. "But wait a minute, do you have a date for tomorrow night?"

Téa went a little pink in the face.

"You do!" Aria yelled. She gasped and covered her mouth. "Is it Yugi?" she whispered through her hand. Then Aria's eyes widened. "No, it's Pharaoh! Or is it both?"

Téa's blush deepened. "To be honest...I'm not too sure exactly."

Aria clutched her stomach as she laughed out loud. "Oh Téa," Aria said, as tears gathered in her eyes. "And I thought my life was complicated!"

 **A/N:** I'm back! It feels so good to post a chapter after such a long time. I am so sorry for the delay, but it has been a crazy summer! Good news is, I think there should only be two chapters left! I will admit, I only thought up the prom plot like, yesterday, but it should definitely be a fun scene ;) Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. You have no idea how much those keep me going. I've been so tempted to just abandon the story but we're so close! So lets finish it!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Kaiba sat in his car outside of Aria's apartment. He methodically tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Here he thought he was so courageous charging off to see Aria, but when he arrived he realized one flaw in his plan; he didn't know which apartment was hers. Kaiba scowled at his predicament. Other than going and knocking on every door, Kaiba wasn't sure how he was supposed to find her.

Just when he was about to leave his car to do just that, Kaiba spied one of the geek squad walking up towards the apartment building carrying a bag of groceries. Wasn't his name Travis or something? Kaiba huffed. Whatever his name was, it looked like he was Kaiba's ticket in.

Stepping out, Kaiba approached Tristan just as he was heading up the steps. Tristan paused when he noticed Kaiba, but if he was shocked at seeing him there, he didn't show it.

"Can't say I'm surprised to see you here," Tristan said, shuffling the grocery bag in his arm. "Are you here to see Aria?"

"Well I'm definitely not here to visit you dweebs," Kaiba sneered.

Tristan shook his head, but a small smile played on his lips. "Some people never change. Well you might as well come on up then, but I can't promise anything."

Kaiba was slightly surprised that he was given entry so easily but he decided it was best not to question it and instead followed Tristan through the front door.

Kaiba shrunk back at the dinginess of the place. How could Aria live in such a dump? He made sure not to touch anything as he continued up a set of stairs. Tristan finally stopped in front of a door that didn't even have a number on it and let himself in.

"Hey Tristan, did you bring back somethin' to eat?"

Kaiba inwardly groaned. The last thing he needed was having to face the guard dog.

"Yeah, and that's not all I brought up," Tristan said, nodding his back at Kaiba who was still standing in the hallway.

"Eh?" Joey asked. When he walked over to the doorway, Joey's face suddenly darkened. "Oh, it's you."

Kaiba crossed his arms but didn't respond. It wasn't worth wasting breath on this loser.

Joey leaned against the frame of the door, blocking Kaiba entry into the apartment. "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. It was no secret as to why he was here, still he didn't like that his being there was knocking a few points off his ego. "Where's Aria?" Kaiba asked, a slight growl in his tone.

"She's not here."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Kaiba snapped.

"Believe what you want rich boy, but she's not here. Not like she would want to see you anyway," Joey coolly responded.

His patience spent, Kaiba grabbed Joey by the lapels of his jacket and pushed him hard against the doorframe. "Then tell me where she is," Kaiba said through clenched teeth.

"Kaiba."

Kaiba let go of Joey, letting him slide back down to the floor and stepped back. He didn't like that he lost cool with the mutt, but when it came to Aria it seemed he never acted himself. Regaining his composure, Kaiba looked over to see Yugi standing in the living room.

"Why don't you come in and sit down so we can talk?" Yugi asked, an authority in his tone that Kaiba usually only heard when he was dueling.

"Are you sure Yug?" Joey asked, eyeing Kaiba warily. "Even after everything he's done to Aria?"

Kaiba glowered at Joey but remained silent. Truth be told, the dog was right. Kaiba had treated Aria abhorrently, and if it were up to Kaiba, he wouldn't let him see her either. But as Kaiba was learning, love was irrational and hardly ever made sense. Which also explained why Kaiba always seemed to feel off-kilter with Aria, he was much more used to things that were logical and could be explained.

"I'm sure," Yugi replied, turning and walking towards the couch.

Kaiba shouldered past Joey as he followed Yugi deeper into the living room. Yugi sat down on one end of the sofa and motioned towards an armchair. Kaiba was too afraid of catching fleas so he remained standing.

Yugi sat, legs crossed and arms folded while staring at Kaiba with a smirk. Kaiba had the feeling that he was smiling at the situation. Kaiba did not appreciate the humour. He hated that he was back to asking Yugi for help. Hated that Wheeler got the satisfaction of seeing him groveling back to Aria. But in spite of all that, he would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant having Aria back in his life. But the geeks didn't need to know that.

"Cut the crap Yugi," Kaiba said, "Just tell me where I can find Aria and I'll be on my way."

"She isn't here," Yugi replied evenly.

Kaiba rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Yes, your guard dog already mentioned that. So how about you try telling me something I don't already know."

"And why should we?"Joey said as he joined Yugi on the couch, his foot propped up on one knee. "After all the things you said to Aria you don't deserve her. You wouldn't trust her so I see no reason why we should trust you."'

Kaiba grit his teeth together. He didn't owe anything to the geek squad but they were the only ones who knew about Aria's whereabouts. She could have left the country for all he knew. It looked like he was going to have to shave even more points off his ego.

"Look," Kaiba began, "I made a mistake, alright? So just tell me where Aria is so that I can tell her that."

"Well, well," Joey said with a smirk, "Rich boy actually admitted to being wrong. I could get used to this."

Kaiba ignored Joey and instead focused on Yugi. If anyone was going to tell him anything, it wasn't going to be Wheeler.

Yugi looked back at Kaiba with a knowing smile on his face. "I think you may have actually took my advice to heart Kaiba. How does it feel to compromise?"

It felt like crap. Kaiba didn't think compromise in a relationship meant grovelling to a bunch of dorks. But he guessed that was the point Yugi was trying to show him. Compromise required sacrifice.

"It's interesting," Kaiba blandly replied.

Joey was looking back and forth between Yugi and Kaiba trying to figure out what they were talking about.

Yugi chuckled. "I can't tell you where Aria is right now but I can tell you where she's going to be tomorrow night."

Kaiba raised a questioning eyebrow. "And where would that be?"

Joey laughed and leaned back into the couch with his hands behind his head. "Time to pull out your tux rich boy, it looks like your goin' dancin'."

 **000**

"Ugh, I think this one must have came from the 80's," Aria said as she put back another dress on the rack. It was their third thrift store, and so far nothing was coming up. "I don't know Téa, I'm having serious doubts that we are going to find anything wearable by tomorrow night."

"Don't worry," Téa said from the next aisle, "We have plenty of other stores to go to. Believe me, I got thrift shopping down to a science."

Aria laughed at her friend's comment and continued searching through the dress section. "This one might work," Aria said brightly. She held up a deep green satin cocktail dress with a halter top. She frowned however when she looked at the tag. "Oh, but I think it's going to be a little too small."

"Doesn't hurt to try it on," Téa said with a shrug. "It is really cute, it would go well with your dark hair."

"Alright, I'll head over to the dressing rooms and you keep looking."

Téa gave a silent salute and continued rummaging through the racks.

As Aria walked back towards the women's dressing room, she glanced out the front windows at the pedestrians and cars passing by. Her steps slowed when she saw a black sedan parked on the other side of the road. _That looks like Riku's car._

Aria's heart sped up a beat. Had he finally found her? She couldn't see if anyone was inside because of the tinted windows. Clutching the dress, Aria forced herself to relax. Plenty of people could own that type of car, it didn't mean it was Riku's.

Aria made her legs move then continued on to the dressing room, trying to dislodge any fear that Riku might have caught on to her trail. She wasn't even sure if Riku was looking for her, there was still a small chance that he didn't know who stole the files. Whatever the case, Aria was just glad she wasn't around when he discovered they were gone, or when he had to tell Pegasus that they were missing.

Closing the curtain at the change room, Aria shimmied into the dress. It was as she thought, the dress was a tad small, sitting a little snugly around the chest. But it was really cute and she didn't think she was going to find anything better. And after seeing what looked like Riku's car, Aria felt too shaken up to want to keep shopping.

Heading back towards Téa, Aria thought about what would become of Riku when summer came to a close. Her stepfather didn't end up needing her to get the files. Pegasus had that already well in hand. But with the Industrial Illusions data stick gone, would Riku still carry out with his threats? Did he even care what happened to her anymore? He now had Pegasus' wrath to deal with.

Maybe it didn't matter. Kaiba had said that he wasn't going to have her arrested, but that didn't mean he wouldn't also blackball her from entering into the programming world. She wondered if Langley had given him Pegasus' plans yet. Would it change anything? Aria sighed in frustration at all the questions and unknowns that she didn't have the answers for. It was just one more reason why she needed to get out of Japan and start over in a completely new place.

As Téa came into view, Aria was once again reminded that she wouldn't have been able to get through all this without the aid of her friends. Going to the prom with them was the least she could do after all they had done for her.

"So, what's the verdict?" Téa asked.

"It's a little snug but I think it's the best option we got."

"Great!" said Téa enthusiastically. "Let's check out then how bout we head over to a cafe for some lunch?"

As the girls purchased the dress and walked out the front doors, Aria looked back to where the black sedan had been parked but thankfully it was gone.

After placing their orders at a cafe around the corner, Aria and Téa took their drinks and grabbed a seat on the outdoor patio.

"So?" Téa asked. "Do you know where you're going to be flying off to yet?"

Aria grimaced. "It doesn't look like I'm flying off anywhere. It's just too expensive."

"Does that mean you're staying with us?" Téa asked hopefully.

Aria shook her head. "I plan on working for a year and hopefully that will be enough to get me started someplace else."

"Oh," Téa said dejectedly. "What about the computer program you applied for? Is there still a way for you to get into that?"

"I actually received the acceptance letter last week."

"What? But that's great news!" Téa exclaimed. But seeing Aria's unexcited expression made Téa pause. "Right? Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Aria took a sip of her drink before responding. "It is great news," she conceded, "But without the scholarship I have no way to pay my way through."

"But surely you're a shoe in for the scholarship, what with working for Kaiba Corp and all."

Aria winced at the name. "I'm afraid without the reference, my scholarship application falls flat."

Téa's shoulders slumped. "I'm so sorry Aria. I know how much this all meant to you."

Aria shrugged, trying to act nonchalant about it all. "It is what it is. I'm hoping to continue computer programming in America. You know, 'the land of opportunity' and all that."

"Well I'm glad we get to have you around a little longer, even if it is only for a year." Téa suddenly brightened. "And we get to end the summer with a bang at prom!"

Aria laughed. "Although it's not really my thing, it will be fun going with everyone."

Téa fingered the handle of her cup, not meeting Aria's eyes. "Do you think Kaiba will be there?"

Aria suddenly started coughing as she was mid-drink when Téa asked her question. Once she could breathe again she replied, "Knowing how Seto felt about high school, I highly doubt he would attend its prom."

Téa quirked her head to the side in amusement. "You still call him Seto?"

Aria blanched at her slip. "Just a bad habit," she mumbled, taking another sip of her coffee.

"I'm just sorry that you won't get to see him all dressed up," Téa said with a wink. "Or get to see you in a tight dress."

Aria rolled her eyes at her friend's teasing. "Trust me, Kaiba wouldn't be caught dead at the prom. Of that I can be absolutely certain."

 **A/N:** So plans changed a bit. Don't they always? I'm posting a slightly shorter chapter this time, but adding another chapter to the story. Aren't you excited for the prom scene? I am! One reviewer mentioned eons ago how they would love to see Kaiba in tux. At the time I didn't think it was going to happen, but now I'm glad I can make their dream come true. One thing I wanted to point out, once this story is finished, I plan on going back through and doing a thorough editing before marking it as "complete". So be sure to put in your reviews any errors that come your way. I won't be making any major changes to the story, but I hope to tie up any loose ends or grammatical mistakes. Thanks as always for helping keep this story going.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Aria was surprised at how much fun she was having. One bonus of going to a prestigious private school was that they had a big budget to spend on the prom. The dance was held in a ballroom at one of the luxury hotels in the city. Twinkling lights hung from the ceiling, with golden streamers wrapped around the marble pillars. And while most of the female students had on elegant ball gowns or dresses made of the finest silk, Aria had never been happier in her second-hand dress. She felt like herself and she got to enjoy it all with the people who loved her most.

While standing on the sidelines during a slow dance, Aria drank her punch and happily watched Téa and Yugi circle together, her arms resting on his shoulders. It seemed it was Pharaoh's turn this time as he appeared slightly taller. Aria shook her head in bewilderment at how anyone could not notice that Yugi grew two inches whenever his alter ego came out. Aria chuckled to herself that Kaiba has always denied such claims, despite being around the Pharaoh so much.

Aria's heart suddenly clenched at the thought of Kaiba. She kept finding herself glancing around the room, seeing if on the off chance he had decided to come. Even if he did appear, Aria knew that he wouldn't come within ten feet of her. She also needed to put any dreams involving Kaiba aside. That part of her life was over now.

"C'mon Aria, you can't sit out for all of the slow dances."

Aria looked up to see Joey standing with his hand stretched out towards her, his telltale smirk on his face. Aria couldn't help but smile at his offering. Knowing Joey, he probably saw her feeling sorry for herself and couldn't help but come over to change it.

Setting down her drink, Aria put her hand in his and let him lead her onto the dance floor. Joey gently rested his hand on the middle of her back while she set her other hand on his shoulder. Soon they were softly swaying to the music, helping Aria to relax her shoulders that she hadn't realized had tensed up.

"Thanks for this Joey," Aria said looking up at him. "I didn't realize how much I needed this."

Joey casually shrugged, but Aria could see that her words caused a slight flush to creep up his neck.

"Where's your date tonight?" Aria asked. "I didn't think Joey Wheeler flew solo," she teased.

Joey smirked but it didn't reach his eyes. "None of any these ladies can handle Joey Wheeler."

"Oh really?" Aria said playfully. "There must be someone who can meet your high standards."

Joey smiled and shook his head but he had a faraway look in his eyes. "Maybe one day."

Aria paused, puzzled at his sudden somberness, but decided not to push it. Maybe she wasn't the only one struggling with a lost love. She slowly rested her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in his presence. But also showing that she understood his sadness, of the feeling of not being able to be with the one you wanted most.

 **000**

Kaiba stood back in the shadows of the ballroom, watching as Aria danced and laughed with the dweebs she called "friends". How badly he had wanted to run over to her the minute he stepped into the room. Wrapping her into his arms and begging for forgiveness. Well, maybe not so much begging, but a little grovelling wouldn't hurt. He had to save some face after all. But when he saw her smiling and acting so carefree, not like her life had just ended, Kaiba couldn't bring himself to interrupt it.

So for the past hour, Kaiba sat back in the shadows, a dark scowl on his face to warn anyone who saw him to leave him alone. Heaven forbid if a girl actually came and asked him to dance. Kaiba had eyes for only one girl in the room.

Just when Kaiba thought he couldn't stay away from Aria a minute longer, he saw Wheeler approach her for a dance. If Kaiba had a scowl on his face before, watching Wheeler place his hands on Aria made his face transform into an almost ferocious snarl. But Kaiba held his place. Deep down he knew they were just friends, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Kaiba watched for a few more moments, wondering when they would stop and end this torture. But then he saw Aria slowly place her head on Wheeler's shoulder. Kaiba abruptly pushed off the wall he had been leaning against. Issuing a low growl from his throat, Kaiba stalked towards the dancing couple. There was no way he was going to let a dog like Wheeler move in on his girl.

Moving through the crowd of people, Kaiba was oblivious to their puzzled look and wide-eyed stares. His attention was completely focused on Wheeler's back. Once he reached the swaying pair, Kaiba stopped and put on his most icy glare.

"Beat it Wheeler, the lady needs a real dance partner."

 **000**

Aria felt content. Yes there was still sadness lurking in the dark corners of her heart, but for once she felt that her life didn't have to be over. There was still so much that it had to offer. That is until a shockingly familiar voice spoke behind Joey. Only one person could put that much contempt and assertiveness into one sentence.

Aria lifted her head from Joey's shoulder as they both stopped dancing to face Kaiba. She gave a soft intake of breath as she took in the sight of him. At first glance, it looked like he was wearing a simple black tux and bow tie. But on closer inspection one could see how perfectly the jacket rested on his shoulders, like it was made to mold onto his body, which Aria was sure it was. He looked absolutely gorgeous and it made her heart melt a bit. She realized then how much she had missed him. Missed their easy banter and the way he made her stomach flutter when he looked at her like she was the only person in the room.

At the moment, Kaiba's gaze was firmly set on Joey, making it obvious that he was waiting for him to leave. When Aria saw the deep scowl on his face, she remembered that it was that scowl he gave her when he accused her of stealing.

Hardening herself against him, Aria shot him a scowl of her own. "Excuse me, but my dance partner is more than adequate. And I don't see anyone who could offer better."

Kaiba finally looked over at her, the scowl vanished and sadness crept into his eyes. Aria didn't think he was capable of the emotion.

"Aria, I-" Kaiba began. But Joey silenced him by facing Aria, standing between her and Kaiba.

"Ari, it's okay. I'll go," Joey said.

Aria looked at Joey in shock. But then it quickly turned into anger. "Why do you keep sticking up for him? Especially after everything he's said and done. I thought you were supposed to watch out for me Joey."

Joey flinched as if she just slapped him. "We all make mistakes Aria, even Kaiba. You don't think I haven't seen you looking around the ballroom all night hoping he's going to appear? I think you owe it to yourself to hear him out."

Aria flushed at Joey's words, regretting taking her anger out on him. And since when did Joey become so perceptive?

Joey turned back to Kaiba. Neither said a word as they both stared long and hard at each other. Aria felt that some hidden message was being communicated between them, but she had no idea what.

Once it seemed that enough unsaid words had been spoken between them, Joey sauntered off leaving Aria and Kaiba alone together. Staring at Kaiba, the last time they were together came to the forefront of her mind. His biting words, her slap across his face. But a tiny butterflies could still be felt in the pit of her stomach at the thought of why he was here. Was he coming to apologize? Did he figure out that it was her who had given Langley the data stick? Instead of answering her unspoken questions, Kaiba simply offered her his hand.

Aria bristled. The last thing she wanted to do right then was dance with Kaiba. To be in such close proximity to him...she didn't want to think of what it would do to her. She knew she ought to yell at him for coming to see her like this, then walk away like he didn't still own her heart.

Indecisiveness clawing at her, Aria was ready to just simply walk away. Until she espied Pharaoh and Téa dancing together behind Kaiba's shoulder. Pharaoh caught her eye and seeing her with Kaiba, he gave one small nod. With that nod, some of Aria's anger deflated. Obviously Yugi and Joey knew something that she didn't in order for them to vouch for Kaiba. She looked back at Kaiba and his outstretched hand. One thing Aria knew for sure, was that she trusted her friends with her life. And with that thought in mind, Aria placed her hand in his.

 **000**

Kaiba hid his astonishment as Aria accepted his hand. He expected her to run away, or at least give another scathing remark. But what surprised him the most was how good it felt when her hand slid into his. When he pulled her towards him and rested his hand on the lower part of her back, Kaiba didn't think he would be able to ever let her go. The scent of lavender wafted around him and he breathed it in deeply.

As they started to slowly circle on the dance floor, Kaiba looked down at Aria, trying to catch her eye. But she was blatantly averting her gaze, looking anywhere but at him. He would have to change that.

"You attend one of the most prestigious private schools in Japan, and yet you show up to its prom in a second-hand dress that's a size too small."

Aria's eyes flashed to his, shock evident on her face.

 _That's better_. "And yet you outshine every woman in the room," Kaiba said softly, his eyes drinking in the pools of green that were now transfixed on him.

Aria let out a snort and glanced away. "It will take more than flattery to undo the damage you've done Kaiba."

Kaiba squeezed her hand drawing her eyes back to his. "You have no idea much that night has haunted me Ari."

Aria ignored his words. "Why are you here?" she asked bluntly,. "Did Langley say something to you?"

Kaiba shook his head. "No, but it wasn't too hard to figure out that you were the one to give him the data stick." He gave her a grin. "Thanks for that by the way."

"Don't think I did it for you," she said softly. "I couldn't let my stepfather and Pegasus get away with robbery. It wasn't right."

Kaiba couldn't believe that she willingly endangered herself to the wrath of her stepfather in order to simply do what was right. "Either way, I owe you a great deal."

"You owe me nothing," Aria replied curtly.

Kaiba inwardly huffed but he let the matter drop. Tired of getting nowhere with the conversation, Kaiba pressed his hand more firmly into the small of her back, bringing her a few inches closer to him. Aria let out a gasp at the sudden contact but before she could protest Kaiba began to lead her in a waltz around the room.

Aria's eyes now no longer left his. As Kaiba lead her through the steps, it felt like they were the only ones left in the entire ballroom. How could he ever think that she would betray him? How could he make her see how wrong he was and that he would never hurt her that way again. What Kaiba couldn't put into words, he hoped she was seeing it in how he looked at her. For what could be more obvious?

 **000**

What was Aria doing? She shouldn't be waltzing around the room with a man she was supposed to despise. She didn't even know how to waltz! Yet the fact did not seem to matter as Kaiba effortlessly guided her around the ballroom. When he had tugged her body closer to his, Aria couldn't help but gasp at the sudden closeness. The room suddenly felt ten degrees warmer with his body heat so near. Then she made the mistake of breathing in to try and calm her nerves for instead she breathed in the smell of his aftershave and cologne.

Aria couldn't tear her eyes from him. With their attention now riveted to one another, sparks were flying everywhere. She always knew her and Kaiba had chemistry, some unknown force seeming to always draw them together. But was it enough? Could she really trust him with her heart again?

"What are you thinking about?" Kaiba asked, his expression impassive as always.

Aria wasn't sure how to answer. She definitely wasn't going to tell him that she thought he smelled amazing or that she wasn't sure if she wanted to slap him or kiss him. Maybe both. She decided to settle with a more simple response. "You still haven't said why you're here."

Kaiba's eyes roamed her face, as if he was taking in every detail. "Isn't it obvious?" he finally said softly.

"Not to me," Aria responded. And to her it really wasn't. Was he actually sorry for the way he treated her? And she was unsure about what he was looking to get out of this evening. Did he want to get back together? She almost laughed out loud at the thought. She wasn't even sure they were ever together to begin with.

"I made a huge mistake Aria," Kaiba said wistfully. "Even before I discovered that you had nothing to do with the breach, I regretted my words and actions."

Aria stayed quiet, contemplating Kaiba's words. "Okay, so you've apologized, is that all you came to do?" Outside Aria tried to appear stoic, but inside she was a bundle of nerves as she waited to hear his next words.

"No Ari," Kaiba spoke softly. "I came to see if there was any hope for a second chance."

Tears began to form at Kaiba's words. Aria's heart was leaping with joy, but her head was filled with fear. Fear of trusting him. Fear of getting hurt again. "I don't know if I can do that Seto," she whispered.

Kaiba stopped dancing, his eyes boring into hers. He let go of her hand to tuck a small tendril of hair behind her ear. "I promise Aria, to never hurt you like that again." He took back her hand and placed it over his chest. "You have my heart Ari. You've always had it."

Aria stood frozen on the dance floor, oblivious to the other dancers moving around them. She couldn't make herself remove her hand, so she just stood there with her heart hammering in her chest, trying to make sense of what Kaiba was saying.

Just when she thought she couldn't handle the tension anymore, Kaiba took a small step closer. Aria's breath was now coming faster, unsure of how she should react. Then he slowly lowered his face to hers. Aria's eyes began to close, secretly yearning for his lips to touch hers. When Kaiba softly brushed them with his own, Aria's eyes flew open. She stumbled backwards to try and get some space between them, tears now flowing freely down her face.

"I'm sorry Seto, I can't," was all she was able to say before she ran towards the exit.

 **A/N:** A lot more was supposed to happen in this chapter but it felt like a better transition to end it there. A little shorter but you get a much quicker update! Yay!


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Aria ran through the hotel hallway with no idea of where she was running to. She didn't care, all that mattered at that moment was getting herself as far away from Kaiba as possible. Air, she needed air. Through blurry eyes, Aria barely made out the red haze of an exit sign. Taking the turn, she found herself busting through a door and into the warm night.

Aria inhaled deeply and then blew the air out slowly. The action helped with clearing her head a bit and at least the tears were starting to dry up. Looking up at the sky, Aria could just make out a few of the stars that weren't masked by the light of Domino City. Things looked so much simpler up there. The summer had been so insane, Aria didn't know what normal looked like anymore. Could life be normal with Seto in it?

For one moment, back in the ballroom, Aria had wanted to kiss him so badly. Kiss him without any thoughts about blackmail or Kaiba Corp. Kiss him just as any girl would kiss a boy. But the second his lips touched hers, it all came rushing back. She knew there could never be a normal for them, not with everything that had gone on between them.

Leaning against the side of the building, Aria finally took stock of her surroundings. She didn't appear to be in the main parking lot of the hotel, but maybe in the employee parking lot? It wasn't nearly as well-lit and there didn't seem to be any people milling about.

Aria leaned against the side of the building, enjoying its coolness against her skin. Her tears were dried up but she feared the destruction they left behind with her mascara. She knew she ought to head back to the dance soon or her friends would start to worry about where she had gone. Hopefully Kaiba got the message that there could be no second chances and had chosen to leave. Then maybe she could at least try and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Sighing despondently, Aria pushed herself off the wall, readying herself to head back inside. As she started to clean up what was left of her mascara, a rustle of movement sounded off in the darkness.

"Hello?" Aria called tentatively. She peered out into the night, trying to discern any moving shapes in the shadows. When nothing emerged and all sounded quiet, Aria moved to head back inside the door she came out of. The night suddenly didn't feel so warm anymore.

"Leaving so soon?"

Aria whipped back around. As her eyes darted around looking for the source, a lone figure stepped out into the light. Even before he had revealed himself, Aria knew who had spoken.

Riku Ito walked into the light, or staggered may have been a more apt description. Aria noticed that his suit which was usually pressed and immaculate now looked unwashed and rumpled. His hair clung to his forehead in wet clumps. Everything about his appearance felt wrong to Aria. Never before had she seen her stepfather in such a state. And it scared her.

Before Riku could get any closer, Aria immediately ran back to the door. But when she tried to yank it open, she was met with resistance. Locked! Aria whirled back around to see that Riku was getting much closer. Should she scream? Or should she try and run? Her eyes darted into the darkness, trying to gauge how far she'd have to run before she found someone.

"I wouldn't think about running yet if I were you, not if you want to see Kaiba again." Riku said menacingly.

His threat gave Aria pause. "What do you mean?" she asked. "What have you done with him?"

"Nothing as of yet." Riku took a few more steps closer. "What I want to know is where are the files you stole from me?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Aria said, trying to buy herself some time. She was still trying to figure out if he was bluffing about Kaiba. Riku didn't look like he was in any frame of mind to be carrying out threats.

"Oh I think you do," Riku said sneering. "And if I don't get them back, it will be my head on a platter."

As Riku edged closer Aria pressed herself into the wall. If she was going to run she was going to need to do it soon. "You shouldn't have bit off more than you can chew Riku."

Riku growled in response. "I knew I was wrong to have let your mother back in my life. Especially when she brought a runt in tow with her."

"You've said that before," Aria said. "Care to elaborate?"

"Let's just say we already had a past history when she came to me with you."

Aria froze. Did he mean that he knew Aria's mother before they were married? Before a time when her mother and father were together?

While Aria tried to process this new information, Riku continued to edge closer. When she finally noticed how close he was getting, her flight instinct kicked in. Pushing off the wall, Aria chose a direction and tried to run. But before she got two steps, Riku grabbed her by the arm and flung her back against the wall. Her head slammed with a sickening thud against the concrete, causing her vision to blur.

Riku wrapped his hands around her neck and began to squeeze her windpipe. Aria gasped for air but could only wheeze as Riku's hold tightened.

"Maybe your boyfriend will be more cooperative when he learns that your life is endangered," Riku slurred, his eyes taken with a crazed look.

All Aria could think was how Kaiba had given her a second chance, and like a coward, she threw it away. And now there would be no more second chances.

"Seto…" Was all Aria was able to rasp before blackness completely enveloped her.

 **000**

Kaiba watched as Aria fled from the room. How badly he had wanted to chase after her. But isn't that what he kept doing? Chasing after her to only see her continue to run away? Maybe it was time to admit defeat and throw in the towel. It made Kaiba's chest ache to think of not having Aria in his life, but she obviously thought that he didn't belong in hers.

With a sigh Kaiba rubbed a hand over his face, feeling suddenly tired. With Aria gone, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. The least he could do was make sure she was okay before he left. Spotting Wheeler at the edge of the dance floor, Kaiba walked over in his direction.

"I take it didn't go too well," Joey said, his tone sincere.

Kaiba didn't have it in him to reject his pity. "I need you to go check on her. I just...need to know that she's alright."

Joey nodded then headed out the doors that Aria had ran through.

Kaiba leaned against the wall while he waited for Joey to return. When ten minutes had passed and still no sign of him, Kaiba began to worry. He began walking over to the doors himself when Joey came rushing back into the room. At his panicked look, Kaiba quickened his pace.

By the time Kaiba reached him, Yugi and the rest of the gang were there too.

"I can't find her," Joey panted. "I looked outside the front doors and all over the main floor, but there's no sign of her."

"She wouldn't have gone home would she?" Téa asked.

Joey shook his head. "I don't think so, not without telling one of us first."

"We need to split up and find her," Kaiba ordered. Everyone gave a determined nod and then ran off in different directions. Kaiba went to check the front doors again, to see if anyone had seen her leave. In hindsight, he should have put someone on to watch her. She did steal some highly valuable files. He didn't know if her stepfather was capable of anything drastic, but Pegasus might be.

As Kaiba exited out the sliding doors into the night, he frantically looked around for any sign of Aria. He asked a few people loitering around if they had seen a black-haired girl in a green dress leave the hotel. When nobody said to have seen her, Kaiba tried to think of where else she could have gone. He could definitely see her running outside to get fresh air, but if not out the front doors, then where? Maybe she took a back door?

A new idea in mind, Kaiba began running along the perimeter of the building. He could at least rule out her being outside, but if she wasn't inside either…Kaiba would deal with that when they came to it.

Kaiba ran in the darkness with the odd light illuminating various emergency exits. He stopped to check each one, but they were all locked. When he rounded a corner he could see the outline of someone at the opposite end. Hope flared in his chest as he started to jog towards them. As he got closer he saw that there were actually two people standing apart. One was much larger and he could tell that the other was wearing green.

Kaiba picked up his pace until he saw the larger figure suddenly dash at the other. Fear gripping him, Kaiba ran in an all-out sprint to reach them faster. When they finally came into focus, he saw Aria pushed up against the wall, a large man gripping her by the throat. Panic began to swell up in Kaiba but he tampered it down, making sure he was in full control of his actions. Impulsively he wanted to tackle the man to the ground while he had the element of surprise but he worried it would send Aria sprawling to the ground as well. He decided on a more subtle approach.

Staying to the shadows, Kaiba quickly edged around the light till he was behind the man and Aria. Stealthily, Kaiba crept up till he was directly behind them. Before he even knew he was there Kaiba put one hand between the man's shoulder and neck and then squeezed. The man's knees buckled as his pressure points were crushed but his grip didn't release Aria.

"Let her go. Now." Kaiba said fiercely, applying more pressure causing the man to cry out in pain. Letting out a short growl, the swine of a man finally let go of Aria, stumbling away as he clutched his injured shoulder.

Aria slid to the ground, coughing while trying to breathe in gulps of air.

Kaiba knelt beside her, cupping her face in his hands. "Ari, are you okay? Look at me." She looked up at him. Tears were streaming down her face and he could already see some bruising starting to appear around her neck, but otherwise she seemed unharmed.

"Mr. Kaiba, we finally get to meet."

Kaiba stood up, fists clenched at his sides, he reigned in his temper before turning to the man who had made Aria's life a living hell. "Riku Ito," Kaiba said with derision, not bothering to hide the disgust in his voice. "I didn't think you would go as low as attacking a young girl, and your own stepdaughter no less."

Riku's eyes narrowed. "She's no stepdaughter of mine," he spat. "She betrayed me and for what? For some pompous school boy who would toss her away the moment she was no longer useful?"

Kaiba took a menacing step forward. "You're the one Ito who has taken advantage of Aria and her abilities. No matter how 'useful' she is to me, there will always be a place for her by my side."

Riku snorted. "How sentimental of you."

Kaiba glared at him. "Do yourself a favour Ito and leave. Preferably from Domino City. We both know that your company is done here."

He could see Riku seething with anger, but he was done wasting any more time on the sorry excuse of a man. He turned back to Aria, he needed to get her home and away from here. She was looking behind him when Aria's eyes suddenly went wide. Screaming "look out!" she leapt to her feet shoving Kaiba to the side while a shot rang out.

Quickly regaining his balance Kaiba immediately sprung onto Riku, who he now saw held a pistol in his hand. Before he could get another shot off, Kaiba tackled him to the ground. He heard Riku's head slam into the pavement and then his body went still.

Kaiba stood up, making sure that Riku really was no longer a threat. Although he was still breathing, it didn't look like he was getting back up anytime soon. Kaiba kicked the gun away from his hands just in case.

The gun. The shot. Kaiba instantly turned only to find Aria lying on the ground. His heart leapt up into his throat as he rushed over to her. "Ari! Aria! Sweetheart, talk to me!" He began searching for any signs of bleeding, praying that the bullet had missed her too.

"Seto…?" a voice croaked.

Kaiba sagged in relief. He helped Aria sit up. "Are you hurt?" he asked with concern, still looking her over for any wounds.

Aria shook her head but by then the tears had started to fall. Kaiba clutched her to his chest, gently rocking her. "It's over now, your safe." Aria responded by burrowing herself deeper into Kaiba's embrace while sobs shook her body. Kaiba simply held her, thankful that he got to hold her at least one more time.

 **000**

Aria sat at the back of an ambulance while a medic treated her injuries. When the gang couldn't find her or Kaiba they had decided to call the police, making them arrive just shortly after Kaiba had incapacitated her stepfather. Now they all stood in the front parking lot surrounded by ambulances and police cars alike.

Aria looked across the parking lot where Kaiba was also standing behind an ambulance while a medic tried to check him for injuries but kept brushing her off. It brought a smile to Aria's lips just watching them.

"You have quite a bit of bruising around the neck and a nasty bump on the back of your head, but other than that you check out fine," the medic said. "Take some pain medication and get lots of rest. You should feel better in a couple of days."

Aria thanked the medic silently with a nod and a smile, her throat still too sore to speak. After the medic had left, Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Téa came rushing over.

Téa threw her arms around Aria causing her to cringe in pain at the contact. "Oh, sorry," Téa said, taking a step back.

Yugi chuckled. "I think Téa is trying to communicate that she's happy that you're okay."

"I'll say!" Joey interjected. "What were you thinkin' Ari? Running off into the night like that? And then not running when you saw your stepfather!"

Aria looked sheepishly down at her shoes at Joey's rebuke. It was foolish of her to run out into a dark back alley, but she had been too upset to have been thinking clearly.

"For your information Wheeler, Aria probably would have gotten herself shot if she had tried to run away."

Aria looked up to see that Kaiba had joined them. His arms were crossed and his gaze icy. The customary Kaiba stance.

"What I want to know is," Kaiba continued. "Is what did he say to make you stay? For he didn't pull out the gun till after I arrived."

"There was a gun?" Téa asked incredulously.

Aria opened her mouth to speak but immediately grasped her throat when pain shot up her neck. Apparently screaming out when Riku had been about to shoot Kaiba had done more damage than she thought.

"Wait a moment," Kaiba said then walked over to where one of the police officers were standing. After speaking for a few moments, Kaiba came back with a pad of paper and a pen. "Here," he said thrusting the utensils at her.

Aria held his gaze for a moment while she accepted the paper and pen. There was so much to say between them and yet she couldn't say any of it. Literally. She began writing down everything Riku had said about her mother and the threats he made to Kaiba. She hesitated about sharing the last part, as she wasn't sure where she and Kaiba stood right then. But then again, she had never knew where they stood with one another.

As the gang and Kaiba read over what she had written, she watched as understanding dawned on each of their faces. Well, except Kaiba's but he was never one to show much emotion. Except maybe when she was lying on the ground when he thought she had been shot.

Aria took back the notepad and scribbled a single question down on the page.

 _What happened to Riku?_

"He regained consciousness and was taken away in a police cruiser," Tristan explained. "I don't think we'll be worrying about him for a while."

Aria nodded, grateful that she didn't have to deal with her stepfather anymore. Though his words about her mother still echoed in her mind. Was there any truth in his words? Guess she'll never find out.

"Excuse me, Miss Ito."

A police officer walked over. "If you're ready, we would like to take your statement now. Then you're free to go home."

"We'll wait for ya over here Ari," Joey said, his thumb pointed over his shoulder. "We'll make sure you get home safe."

Aria smiled in thanks. She looked over to see what Kaiba planned to do, but when her eyes came to where he had been standing, he was gone.

 **000**

Aria was once again back at the apartment sitting on the couch with her laptop. It had been a few days since the incident and although her throat was still a little hoarse, it no longer caused her pain to speak.

Everyone was out for the moment, allowing Aria some quiet time to herself. She surfed the web as she looked at programming jobs in the Domino City area. With Riku behind bars, she no longer felt like she had to leave the country. And since Kaiba now knew of her innocence, she figured she should be able to find a low-level entry position at a software company and start saving up for college. She would still be able to pursue her dream, it was just going to take a little longer.

But Seto was another matter entirely. Over the last couple of days, Aria kept replaying the words he said to Riku over and over.

 _...there will always be a place for her by my side._

Even after running away from Kaiba, again, he said he still wanted her. Aria was worried that it was Kaiba who was going to hurt her again, but it seemed she was the one who kept causing him pain by repeatedly rejecting his overtures. At the prom, Kaiba had come to her with his heart on his sleeve. Never had she seen make himself more vulnerable. How hard it must have been for him to do that. And like the coward she was, she fled.

Her laptop dinged, pulling her from her thoughts. A pop-up appeared showing that she had just received an email. _That's weird_ Aria thought. It looked like it was from the foundation that was in charge of the scholarship she applied for. She clicked open the email.

 _Miss Ito_ it read. _We are pleased to inform you that you are this year's chosen participant to receive the Computer Science scholarship for Domino University. With your outstanding reference from Kaiba Corp, your application…_

Aria didn't finish the email. Her outstanding reference? Would Kaiba really do this? Aria's blood pressure began to rise. Did he not understand her at all? How dare he put forth a reference on her behalf given their history and relationship. It was completely inappropriate! Not to mention it was probably prohibited.

Aria shot off the couch, grabbed her purse and stomped out the door. If he thought she was going to let him get away with this, he was sorely mistaken.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Kaiba sat in yet another board meeting, trying his best to look interested. He didn't think he was succeeding. Things were progressing well with Duel Monsters Online, they might even be starting prototypes within the next few months. Although they were ahead of schedule, Kaiba was finding it hard to find his usual zeal for the project. Maybe Mokuba had been right in that Kaiba Corp couldn't give him everything he needed.

The elevator doors at the far end of the room suddenly pinged, alerting them to someone coming up. Kaiba raised a brow at who could be coming as he wasn't expecting anyone. All the executives stopped talking to look to see who could be entering the board room. When none other than Aria herself stepped through the doors, Kaiba was shocked to say the least. He blinked once wondering if it was really her he was seeing.

What at first looked like a determined expression on Aria's face when she first exited the elevator, it had quickly turned to one of surprise and embarrassment. She stared at Kaiba while he dumbly stared back at her, either not knowing what to say.

"Umm…" Aria began, but faltered to a stop, a slight pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Gentleman," Kaiba finally said, snapping to attention. "Take a short recess. We will resume our meeting later."

A few of the executives raised their brows at Kaiba's pronouncement, but fortunately did not voice any questions as they slowly got out of their seats and exited into their adjoining offices. Soon it was only Kaiba and Aria left in the room.

"Let's talk in my office," Kaiba said as he rose from his chair and opened the door behind him for Aria to enter. She wordlessly walked around the table and through the door without making any eye contact. Kaiba followed. He treaded a few steps behind as they walked through his secretary's office towards his office door that was already open.

Susan gave a sweet smile with a nod towards Aria and then continued on with her work as if nothing was amiss. If only Kaiba could say the same.

As they entered his office, Kaiba almost rammed into the back of Aria as she suddenly stopped, staring at the spot where his Baby Grand used to sit.

"Where's your piano?" she asked in surprise.

"We weren't getting along," he muttered, then stepped around Aria and went to his desk. It was mostly true. It had become unbearable working in his office with his piano sitting right in front of him all the time. It served as too big of a reminder of what he had lost.

As Kaiba sat down he suddenly became uncertain as how to address the woman standing in the room. Aria and Miss Ito both seemed unsuitable. He decided to settle on "What can I help you with?" Best to avoid the issue altogether.

Aria all of a sudden stiffened visibly while shooting a glare in his direction. Kaiba was slightly taken aback by her change in demeanor, wondering what he could have done to earn such a look. She walked the rest of the room and planted herself in front of his desk, arms crossed. She continued to glower at him but didn't say anything.

Kaiba blandly stared back at her, refusing to be intimidated. "Out with it Ito, what have I done to deserve your ire this time?"

Aria stood silent, then after a few moments spoke, "I just received an email saying that I got the scholarship for my computer program."

Kaiba's brow furrowed in confusion. "I would say congratulations, except that seems to be the wrong sentiment, based on your expression."

Aria's eyes narrowed. "They say I got it because of my 'exceptional reference' from Kaiba Corp," she said using air quotes.

Understanding dawned on Kaiba. "Oh," he said, leaning back into his chair with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, oh," Aria echoed.

"And you think I sent this reference."

"I know it was you!" Aria practically shouted. "But what bothers me more is that you thought I would be okay with it. I thought you knew me better than that."

Kaiba suddenly rose out of his chair, planting his hands on his desk. "I do know you better than that Aria, that's why I didn't send it," he said vehemently.

"You- wait what?" Aria asked, now the one looking confused.

Kaiba slowly sat back down. He missed these sparring matches. It was almost like the good ol' days before blackmail and evil stepfathers. "I know you would never accept a reference from me, I value our...friendship too much for that." Kaiba almost choked on the word. He didn't want to be just her friend, but he was willing to settle, for her sake.

"I-I'm sorry Seto," Aria said abashed. "Sorry for accusing you like that, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." She looked down at the floor, her face red with embarrassment.

"I don't know where you would get the idea that I would use my power and influence to interfere in someone else's life. Really Miss Ito."

Aria looked back up, a small smile now playing on her lips. Kaiba was also glad to see that some of the redness had faded from her face.

"But if not you, then who?" Aria asked perplexed. "Oh," she said, her eyes going wide in realization.

"Oh?" Kaiba asked.

Aria shook her head and let out a small laugh. "Langley."

"Seems you left a bigger impression then you thought," Kaiba said with a grin. But then he sombered. "But I did actually have something I wanted to give you." He opened a drawer in his desk and withdrew a white folder. He handed it to Aria.

"What's this?" asked Aria as she took the folder.

"I looked into what you said about Riku knowing your mother before you were born."

Aria glanced up intrigued. "And?" she said opening the folder.

"And it appears that your mother was engaged to Riku before running off with I could only assume was your father. A few years later you were born."

Aria was silent as her eyes darted over the documents. Kaiba could see her mind trying to process it all. He waited with bated breath to see if she was going to turn her fury back onto him for being a little impertinent for digging into her family's past.

"Thank you…" Aria said softly. "I didn't think I was ever going to find out the truth to Riku's words, or if there was any truth to be found in the first place." She let out a dry laugh. "To be honest, I feared that maybe Riku was my biological father. Silly, I know."

"No, it's not silly," Kaiba murmured.

Kaiba and Aria stood staring at each other for a long moment. He knew he ought to reconvene his meeting, but he couldn't quite bring himself to leave her company just yet.

"You'll be happy to know that we caught the real insider here at Kaiba Corp," Kaiba said.

Aria perked up. "Who was it?"

Kaiba smirked. "I believe you already know."

"Tenzin," she said.

Kaiba nodded. "You'll never believe how he was leaking the information out."

"This ought to be good," Aria said with a grin as she perched herself on one of the armrests. "I would love to know how he got around Kaiba Corps illustrious self-surveillance room."

Kaiba pretended to hmph in annoyance, for internally he was floating on cloud 9. They were having a normal conversation and Aria was even teasing him. This was how things were supposed to be.

Kaiba gave himself a mental shake. "He had a device in the heel of his shoe that allowed him to send out messages in morse code."

Aria gasped in surprise. "And that's why his leg was always constantly bouncing up and down. That snake!"

Kaiba chuckled at her ferociousness.

"Did he fess up to working for Pegasus?" Aria asked.

Kaiba's smile fell. "No. Pegasus has an uncanny ability at keeping his hands clean. I don't think Tenzin ever really knew who he was working for."

"But what about the files I stole, er-I mean found," Aria quickly corrected.

Kaiba smirked. "All those files show is a device that Industrial Illusions was trying to create. We know he was doing it to combine it with Duel Monsters Online, but we don't have evidence that proves that."

Aria's body deflated a bit. "And so he gets away without even a slap on the wrist."

"I wouldn't say that," Kaiba said. "You stopped him profiting from a technology that wasn't his. You should be proud of that fact Aria."

Aria smiled. A true smile, one that made Kaiba wish he could see that smile everyday for the rest of his life.

Then as if she was realizing what she was doing, Aria hopped off the armrest and started backing towards the door. "I totally forgot that I had interrupted a very important meeting. I should let you get back to that."

Kaiba stood. "It was a welcome interruption, believe me." There was a million more things he wanted to say, needed to say. But then her words from the prom came back to him.

 _I'm sorry Seto, I can't…_

And so with a small wave Aria walked out the door, and Kaiba let her go.

Kaiba sat back down with a frustrated sigh, rubbing his face in fatigue. Moving his hands into his hair, he grabbed fistfuls of it hoping the pain would help bring him back to his senses.

"Hey Seto! I just bumped into Aria!"

Kaiba sighed again. Mokuba's timing was impeccable.

"Did it really go that bad?" he asked.

"Actually," Kaiba said, raising his head up, "it went extremely well."

Mokuba's eyes crinkled in confusion. "So what's the problem then?"

"I don't even know anymore Mokuba. Just too much...stuff, it's become too complicated."

"I don't think it's that complicated at all," Mokuba said. "I think you guys are just making it complicated."

"Easy for you to say," Kaiba muttered, putting his head back down in his hands.

When Mokuba didn't respond after a few minutes Kaiba pulled his head back up. His little brother was staring off into space while stroking his chin absentmindedly.

"Whatever it is your thinking, no," Kaiba deadpanned.

"You need a night out," Mokuba said as if he hadn't heard him.

Kaiba groaned and swiveled around in his chair away from Mokuba. "That's the last thing I need."

"Face it Seto, you're not getting any work done here, you need to get away for an evening."

Kaiba huffed. He knew Mokuba was right in that he wasn't getting any work done. His executives must have figured out by now that the meeting wasn't going to resume. "If I agree to this, can I know where we're going beforehand?"

Mokuba mulled over his question. "No."

Kaiba whirled back around. "Mokuba…" he said warningly.

"I'm sorry Seto, but you'll just veto whatever I suggest. Best you go in blind," Mokuba said with a smirk.

Kaiba frowned but before he could protest further Mokuba turned and ran out of his office.

"See you at 7!" he called behind him.

Kaiba growled at his brother's antics. He really needed to stop giving in to him so easily, not that he was given much of a choice in the first place.

The rest of the day passed painfully slow for Kaiba. It was a mix between struggling to get work done and fretting over what Mokuba had planned.

At ten minutes before the set time, Kaiba was surprised Mokuba hadn't come up to his office to get him. His phone buzzed. Picking it up he saw it was from Mokuba.

 _Meet me down in the limo._

 _Strange_ Kaiba thought. Curious as to what his little brother could be up to, Kaiba left his office. For once he was actually glad to be leaving its confines.

Exiting out the revolving doors, Kaiba saw his limo waiting for him. But it was who that was waiting for him that bothered him.

 _What are you up to now Mokuba?_ Kaiba thought bitterly to himself. For leaning against his limo was Yugi Muto. And he had a very smug look on his face.

 **000**

"Are you going to tell me where we're going now?" Aria asked. It was getting close to night-time, the sun having just dipped below the horizon. Her and Téa were sitting in the back of a taxi driving to an unknown destination.

"Nope," was all Téa answered in reply.

"I feel like your scheming something Téa, and to be honest, I'm a little nervous."

Téa laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not taking you anywhere crazy, you'll just have to wait and see."

Aria was unconvinced but chose to remain silent.

When the cab pulled up in front of Bartini's Pizzeria, Aria turned to Téa slightly befuddled. "You kidnapped me to take me out for pizza?"

"You'll see," was all Téa said as she climbed out of the cab. Aria had no choice but to follow.

Approaching the restaurant Aria noticed Yugi, Tristan and Joey loitering outside the front steps, chatting amongst themselves. _That's weird_ Aria thought, _usually this place is teeming with people at this time, but it looks almost deserted._

"Hey guys!" Téa said as she ran up to join the rest of the gang.

"Bout' time you guys got here," Joey said, a gleam in his eye.

Aria stopped up short and noticed that all of them seemed to be wearing a sort of _smug_ expression on their faces. She planted herself, crossed her arms and gave the most intimidating glare she could manage. "Okay, you guys are up to something and I want to know what it is. The last time we were here you ambushed me with a surprise visit from-" She paled. "You didn't."

Without waiting for a reply, Aria ran up the steps and pressed her face against the glass in the front door. Peering into the restaurant she should have saw a dining room full of hungry patrons, but instead all she saw was an empty dining room with all the tables pushed to the side. Accept one. For right in the middle sat a lone table with a single candle burning at its center. And sitting at it was the only person in the room; a tall brunette with a purple trench coat. Although his back was to her, she didn't need to see his face to know who it was.

Aria slowly backed away from the door, thankful that he hadn't seen her peeking in. Turning to her friends, she looked at their expectant faces, waiting to see her reaction. She took a deep breath. "I appreciate what you guys are trying to do, but I can't go in there. Kaiba and I…" She trailed off, unsure of how to describe her and Kaiba.

"Aria Ito!"

Aria started. Down the steps stood Téa, a fierce determination sat in her eyes and they were set right on her.

"Do you know how many times you've walked away from that man sitting in there?" Téa asked.

Aria shook her head even though she knew Téa wasn't looking for an answer.

"A lot!" Téa said. "And yet he keeps coming back, keeps hoping that maybe this is the time that you stay."

Tears began to well up in Aria's eyes. If this was Téa's idea of a pep talk, it could use some work. For all it was doing was reminding Aria of the countless times she had turned him away.

"That's why I can't go in there Téa," Aria said with a sniff, "I'm just going to hurt him again."

Téa walked up the few steps until she was level with her. She grabbed Aria by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Now you listen to me Aria Ito. Love is hard and sometimes we hurt the ones we love. You know why?"

Again Aria shook her head.

"Because we're human. We don't always get it right. Sometimes we mess up."

"I think I've messed it too far this time," Aria said wistfully.

This time Téa shook her head. "The fact that Kaiba is sitting in there waiting for you, tells me you're wrong." Téa sighed, her features softening. "Answer me this Aria, do you want Kaiba in your life?"

"Yes," Aria whispered. For although she truly did believe that things were too far gone for her and Kaiba, she desperately wished that there was some way he could be in her life. It seemed they were forever destined to be apart.

"Then go in there and make it happen," Téa said, pointing at the door. "Did you give up when it seemed like you would never escape from under your stepfather's thumb? No, you found a way to make it happen and now you get to live out your dream of becoming a renowned computer programmer. Go in there and do the same."

A glimmer of hope began to grow in Aria's chest. It was true that she found a way to get away from Riku. Even during the blackmailing, she fought on, unwilling to allow that there could be no solution to her predicament. Could there be a way for her and Kaiba too?

 **000**

Kaiba continued to sit in an empty restaurant, waiting for who knows how long for Aria to appear.

 _How do I keep letting my kid brother get me into these ploys of his?_ Kaiba thought sourly. Aria had repeatedly turned down any advances on his part, why would this time be any different? But despite knowing this, he still held out hope that for once she will choose to run to him instead of away from him.

Kaiba sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that night. If he was hoping this time was going to be different, so far his odds weren't looking good. It didn't look like Aria was even going to walk into the same building as him. How badly he wanted to turn around and see if she had at least arrived. But Mokuba was persistent that he sit with his back to the door and made him promise not to turn around.

Kaiba didn't know which was worse, taking orders from his little brother, or finding out he was in cahoots with the geek squad. He had definitely been surprised to find Yugi standing outside his limo, but that didn't compare to finding the rest of the nerd herd sitting inside. He scowled and said his usual demeaning comments when in their presence, but inwardly he was experiencing a few sparks of hope that maybe these losers could convince Aria to give him a chance.

And so here he sat, in an empty restaurant, which actually ended up being a blessing in disguise. He didn't need strangers looking on him with pity for waiting for a date that probably wasn't going to show.

Kaiba huffed in annoyance. It really was getting pathetic the amount of times he's pursued this woman...only to fail continually at securing her. Anger began to build up inside him. He was Seto Kaiba! He would play the fool no longer.

Just as he was preparing to stand up and throw back his chair, he heard the door open behind him.

 **A/N:** This really was supposed to be the last chapter but I figured by stopping it there you get another chapter much earlier and it doesn't make this one super long. Thanks for the positive reviews and all the follows and favourites! You guys rock!


End file.
